Jakarta. The presidential office will invite all living former presidents to the Independence Day ceremony in the future national capital, Nusantara, East Kalimantan, on August 17, State Secretariat Minister Pratikno announced on Tuesday.

Megawati Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) are expected to attend the inaugural Independence Day ceremony in Nusantara.

Additionally, all living former presidents will be invited to attend the same ceremony at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta, Pratikno told reporters in Jakarta.

Pratikno said he was unaware if President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will host a private meeting with Megawati, the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), on the sidelines of the event.

"I have no information about that because there are plenty of activities throughout August. There will be the State of the Union Address on the 16th and the reenactment of the independence proclamation on the 17th led by the president," Pratikno said.

Jokowi, previously known as a longtime PDI-P politician, has distanced himself from the party since the last presidential election where he implicitly supported eventual election winner Prabowo Subianto -- a rival to PDI-P’s nominee Ganjar Pranowo -- by allowing his son to become Prabowo’s running mate. The president and Megawati have not met in person since then.

On Monday, Megawati said her relationship with the president “is doing fine,” although she admitted there was a disagreement in the past about the presidential term.

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