JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Vice President Jusuf Kalla has played down the rumor and speculation saying PKS will jump ship from the Red-and-White opposition group (KMP) to the ruling coalition in order to support Jokowi administration.

The rumor and speculation over possible joining of PKS to the ruling coalition has already been swirling around after the recent meeting between PKS’ key leaders with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the State Palace on Monday (Dec. 21).

But Kalla stated that the meeting between President Jokowi and PKS’ key leaders was just a usual meeting. Kalla, however, said he didn’t know about what exactly were discussed in the meeting.

In the meantime, the ruling party PDI-P interestingly expressed their support should PKS join into the ruling coalition. PDI-P, according its lawmaker Trimedya Pandjaitan, believed that the joining of PKS to the ruling coalition will improve the relationship between Jokowi-Kalla’s administration and the House of Representatives (DPR). (haryantosuharman@yosefardi.com)