President Yet To Confirm Attendance At PDIP Congress

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has yet to confirm his participation at the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) congress` opening ceremony in Sanur, Bali, on April 9, 2015, noted organizing committee`s Chairman Wayan Koster.

"So far, we have not received any confirmation from President Jokowi about his presence at the opening ceremony of the PDIP congress in Nusa Dua, Bali," Wayan stated here on Tuesday.

According to the chairman, the organizing committee has invited Jokowi as president to attend the congress, but no confirmation has yet been received from the Presidential Palace.

"The committee has invited the president to attend the opening ceremony of the PDIP`s fourth congress in Bali," Wayan reiterated.

Leo Agustino, a political observer at the University of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa (Untirta), Banten, noted in Jakarta, on Tuesday, that the national congress of the ruling party of PDIP would be an important moment to mend relations between the party`s General Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri and President Jokowi.

"The PDIP congress is expected to normalize relations between Jokowi and Megawati. Besides this, it will also provide an opportunity for consolidation between the party leaders and its cadres now serving as public officials including the president, ministers, or heads of regional administration," Leo remarked.

Relations between Jokowi and Megawati have lately soured over the president`s decision to not install Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the new National Police chief.

The president cancelled the candidacy of Budi Gunawan due to strong public protests after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Budi a corruption suspect.

The party and the Parliament, which already approved Budi`s candidacy, had insisted that the president should install the three-star police general as new police chief.

Budi is known to be close to Megawati as her former bodyguard during her tenure as president.

Leo said a meeting between Jokowi, Megawati, and other party leaders at the congress could be an important moment to knit synergy for the best interest of the party.

The public will witness whether Jokowi will appear at the congress as a president or as a party cadre, he added. (WDY)