Hanura Joins PDIP

Jakarta (Antara) - The People's Conscience Party (Hanura) joined the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) here on Saturday, following the example of the National Democrat (Nasdem) and the Nation Awakening Party (PKB). "Hanura and PDIP have been together for five years during the second term of the government of the current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," Hanura general chairman Wiranto said, after meeting PDIP general chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri to discuss the deal. The meeting between former president Megawati and the former Indonesian defense forces commander, retired general Wiranto took place at the former's residence on Jalan Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta, attended by several leaders of the two parties. Wiranto said the cooperation between Hanura and PDIP in the past five years has created the understanding and belief that the two parties have a common platform of struggle for the interest of the people. "The cooperation has created solidarity, trust, understanding and a common platform to fight for the welfare of the people," he said. Wiranto said the meeting was a follow-up to the mandate he had received from the party's leadership on May 8. "As general chairman, I received a mandate at the leadership meeting on May 9 to conduct political lobbying to determine whom Hanura would ally with," he said. Wiranto, who is also former coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs, said that he has actually held 25 meetings with political leaders. "I have recorded who I have met. Certainly, we did not just talk in the meetings but also assured each other of a common platform and cooperation," he said. Wiranto thanked Megawati, PDIP secretary general Tjahjo Kumolo and PDIP success team leader Puan Maharani who have accepted Hanura as a member of its coalition. He hoped that its coalition with PDIP would lead to the best results in the presidential and vice-presidential election on July 9. (*) Reporting by Budi Setiawanto