Jakarta. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo attended a National Democratic Party (Nasdem) gathering on Sunday evening, signaling a renewed friendship with his old ally and the party’s chairman, Surya Paloh, after a period of political distance.

In his speech during Nasdem’s congress, Jokowi reflected on the party’s early support for his presidential bid a decade ago, noting that Nasdem was among the first to endorse him for the presidency.

However, Nasdem parted ways with Jokowi’s coalition in 2022 to back Anies Baswedan as his successor. The Nasdem-led coalition advocated for change, contrasting with the continuity championed by the eventual election winner, Prabowo Subianto, who ran alongside Jokowi’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

“We went separate ways during the 2024 election -- Brother Surya supported the coalition for change while the other side promised continuity. But that’s understandable,” Jokowi said in his speech at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Despite their political divergence, Jokowi said his friendship with Surya remained intact. “We know each other well, but sometimes we misunderstand each other,” Jokowi remarked, adding, “There were days we shook hands, and the next week we found ourselves on different paths.”

Jokowi acknowledged that he met Surya Paloh more often than any other party leader during his presidency, emphasizing the significance of their relationship.

He also praised Nasdem for backing his two successful presidential campaigns without seeking political favors in return, calling it a benchmark for Indonesian politics. Nasdem, Jokowi said, had set a high standard by nominating candidates without expecting anything in return when they won.