SBY 'not troubled' with Kalla-Megawati’s meeting

Erwida Maulia , The Jakarta Post , Cikeas | Sun, 03/15/2009 7:54 PM | National
The meeting between chairman and chairwoman of the country’s two biggest political parties – the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), is something “common” amid rising political dynamics ahead of the April 9 legislative elections, chief patron of the Democratic Party Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said.

“Whether or not the meeting will lead into a coalition I don’t know, Pak JK (Jusuf Kalla) Bu Mega (Megawati) know about that better,” the President said during a press conference at his residence in Cikeas, West Java, on Sunday.

He said had only Megawati was willing to meet him, he would meet her in instance for the sake of maintaining silaturahim (good relationship).

Yudhoyono said Megawati never wanted to see him again since their relationship had started turning ugly in 200o.

Yudhoyono, then Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs under Megawati’s presidency, resigned from the Cabinet in March 2004 before deciding to contest in the presidential race.

“From then on until today she doesn’t want to meet me. If, for instance, she wants to meet with me tomorrow, I will come to see her,” he said.