Jokowi-Prabowo Meeting Sets Good Example: Observer

Jakarta (Antara) - A political communication observer has hailed the meeting between President-elect Joko Widodo and his former rival Prabowo Subianto here on Friday as an important lesson and a positive example for the people. "After the recent presidential election, there was a strong sense of disappointment and revenge in the minds of Prabowo and the members of the political parties that support him," noted Ari Junaedi from the State University of Indonesia. The postgraduate professor stated that the meeting had opened new avenues for political reconciliation between the national political figures. "I am grateful that the meeting took place. There is time for competition, but there is also time for working hand in hand for the sake of the nation," he affirmed. He pointed out that there was no winner or loser in the recent election, but the people had given their mandate to Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. He stated that the meeting will help to start a new chapter in the nation's history, and no grudge should be maintained. He further added that Jokowi has proven his stature as a national figure that has the ability to break communication deadlocks. "An important lesson to be learnt from the meeting at Kertanegara is that Jokowi and Prabowo have become the pioneers of national harmony. It is likely that the meeting will inspire other meetings of national figures such as Megawati and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," he emphasized. He hoped that the meeting will serve as a stepping stone to develop political stability after the presidential inauguration. "It is expected that with political stability, the economy will become stronger," he added. (*) Reporting by Azis Kurmala