Prabowo Attends Jokowi's Presidential Inauguration

Jakarta, Oct 20 (Antara)- Chairman of The Great Indonesian Movement (Gerindra) Party Prabowo Subianto attended the inauguration ceremony of Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as Indonesia`s seventh president at the Parliament Building here on Monday. He arrived along with the leaders of political parties supporting the Prabowo-led Red and White Coalition (KMP: Hatta Rajasa of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Aburizal Bakrie of the Golkar Party, Anis Matta of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Suryadharma Ali of PPP, and Akbar Tanjung of Golkar. On his arrival, retired general Prabowo received applause from the members of the People`s Consultative Assembly (MPR). Jokowi paid a visit to Prabowo Subianto, who celebrated his 63rd birthday on Oct. 17. They held a closed-door meeting at Prabowo`s residence located on Kertanegara Street IV, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. "I have been informed that this afternoon, the invitation will be conveyed by the MPR speaker. As a citizen and a son of the nation, if I am invited, it is important that I should be present. But, I have another personal commitment that requires me to travel abroad. If I can, I will complete my commitment on Sunday evening (Oct. 19), and I will do my best to be present for the inauguration," Prabowo stated on the occasion in response to questions regarding his attendance at the presidential inauguration. Prabowo and Jokowi were both running for presidency earlier this year. In the head-to-head presidential election held on July 9, 2014, Jokowi and his running mate M. Jusuf Kalla garnered over 53 percent of the total votes, while Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa won almost 47 percent of the votes, according to the National General Elections Commission (KPU). Jokowi (53) is an entrepreneur-turned-politician. He was the former mayor of Central Java`s town of Solo during the period between 2005 and 2012. In 2012, he was elected as the governor of Indonesia`s capital of Jakarta.