JAKARTA: Indonesian politics is not for the faint hearted, more so in its recent Presidential Election 2019 (Pilpres 2019) when President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was challenged by retired army general Prabowo Subianto for the second time.
Their political feud sparked by criticisms, provocations and personal attacks led to riots that caused the loss of nine lives after the official election results were released in May.
However, it was a totally different scenario yesterday when the bitter rivals met for the first time after the divisive polls at an MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) station in Jakarta, shaking hands and looking relaxed in each other’s company.
They even had a meal together and seeing their camaraderie brought both relief and joy to Indonesians who wanted the tensions between both men to end.
The sudden change in their relationship was perhaps best described by taxi driver Asep Budiman who said that politics in Indonesia was like football.
“They fight at the local leagues; they fight so hard till they want to ‘kill’ their rivals. But after the league (election) ends and once there is a winner, they are united again and set up a national team … for the sake of the people and the country…then after five years, they come back with the same fervour to fight,” said the 43-year-old from Jakarta.
Jokowi through his Twitter account, said his meeting with Prabowo was planned some time ago but they were unable to meet because of their busy schedules.
Meanwhile, Prabowo was quoted in the local media as saying that many people had asked him why he had not congratulated Jokowi after his Pilpres victory to which his reply was: “I wanted to wish him personally…face to face.”
On June 27, Jokowi was confirmed winner of Indonesia’s 2019 presidential election after the Indonesian Constitutional Court dismissed an application by Prabowo who filed a petition to challenge the election result announced by the General Election Commission (KPU). – Bernama
