“Democratic Party Responds to President Jokowi’s Erroneous Statement About Night Visits to the Palace”

Jakarta –

Deputy Speaker of the MPR RI from the Democratic Party faction Syarief Hasan gave a response to President Joko Widodo’s statement that the Democratic Party often visited the Palace at night. According to him, this erroneous statement was conveyed by President Jokowi in his meeting with the editor-in-chief of the mass media on Monday (29/5/2023).

Syarief Hasan stated emphatically that the Democratic Party had never taken the initiative of its own to go to the Palace.

“We emphasize that President Jokowi’s statement before the chief editor of the mass media was wrong. The Democratic Party has never asked for a meeting schedule at the Palace, including the evening schedule as announced by President Jokowi,” said Syarief Hasan in his statement, Thursday (1/6/2023 ).

He explained that the leadership of the Democratic Party had never met President Jokowi in secret.

“We also expressly convey that the leadership of the Democratic Party has never met secretly by asking for an evening meeting with President Jokowi. This statement is erroneous and creates multiple interpretations in society, considering that the Democratic Party is an opposition party,” said Syarief Hasan

This member of the Upper House of the Democratic Party straightened out this statement. According to him, the meeting between Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and President Jokowi only happened once. That too at the invitation of President Jokowi.

“Mr. SBY, as chairman of the Democratic Party Higher Council, met President Jokowi only once at the Merdeka Palace. The meeting was at the initiative of President Jokowi’s invitation, not Mr. SBY. Mas Ketum Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) also only once met President Jokowi at the Bogor Palace over President Jokowi’s initiative,” said Syarief Hasan.

Syarief Hasan continued, Ketum AHY was invited at President Jokowi’s initiative because he wanted to provide clarification regarding the Palace’s position towards the Democratic Party.

“At first President Jokowi invited Mr. SBY, but Mr. SBY said that it would be better if Mas AHY as the Democratic Party Chairperson attended. President Jokowi gave an explanation regarding the Palace’s position regarding KSP Moeldoko’s act of wanting to unconstitutionally take over the Democratic Party,” he explained.

He explained that only twice had the leadership of the Democratic Party met President Jokowi at the Palace on the Palace’s own initiative. Moreover, SBY had met President Jokowi when he was invited to attend the G20 Gala Dinner and Kaesang’s wedding in Solo.

“These two meetings are just friendly relations. President SBY respects the G20 guests and appreciates Kaesang’s wedding invitation in Solo,” said Syarief Hasan.

This senior politician from the Democratic Party emphasized the position of the Democratic Party, namely the opposition. The position aims to be a balance of power.

“We emphasize that the position of the Democratic Party is that of the opposition. We contribute to the nation and state through outside the government and become a balance of power. We have never come close to President Jokowi’s power,” he concluded.

(neither/neither)