Prabowo predicts PDIP will eventually join to defend nation

President Prabowo Subianto said PDIP would eventually join the government and other political forces to defend the nation and the state. He made the remarks in a national address at the 28th PKB anniversary in Jakarta on Thursday night, before party leaders including Djarot Syaiful Hidayat. Prabowo said political differences and criticism were normal, as long as they did not turn into slander. He also said PDIP essentially shares the same goals as other parties: upholding the 1945 Constitution and improving public welfare. The comments came as PDIP remained the only parliamentary party outside the cabinet. In early July, Megawati Soekarnoputri, in an internal letter, said PDIP positions itself as a balancing party, not one that rejects the government a priori.