REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Democratic Party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he never proposed vice presidential candidate to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). His statement came following a rumor about his son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY).

"I never proposed vice presidential candidate from Democratic Party to Mr Jokowi, including AHY as mentioned recently," said SBY at his residence in South Jakarta on Wednesday (July 25) night.

SBY said Jokowi also never offered vice presidential candidate post to Democratic Party. Although communication between him and Jokowi run intensely, but SBY admitted they never discussed about the post.

"I never asked, and he also didn’t offer the post, but we continue to hold meetings," SBY explained.

However, SBY did not deny that Jokowi had offered ministerial post if Democratic Party joined his coalition. The former president said it was a normal thing.

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SBY thought the issue has to be cleared for the sake of two parties. “I assert that he never offered us vice presidential candidate and we also never proposed AHY as vice presidential candidate,” SBY added.

SBY also denied the statement that came from United Development Party (PPP) chairman M Romahurmuziy. Previously, Romahurmuziy stated that Democratic Party did not want to join Jokowi coalition following the failure to meet their demand related to vice-presidential post. SBY expected Romahurmuziy to be careful in making statement.

Earlier, SBY has met with National Mandate Party chairman Zulkifli Hasan. The two parties leader did not discuss vice presidential candidate. "Superstar in presidential election is the presidential candidate, not the other," SBY remarked.

According to Zulfikli, he and SBY talked about recent condition of the nation. He met SBY for about 1.5 hours. "We agree to have more intense communication with Democratic Party," he said.

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