Jakarta. Prabowo Subianto revealed on Sunday that his third consecutive participation in the presidential election was made possible only because of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo's blessing.

Prabowo, who won the February 14 election with 58 percent of the vote, claimed that he initially lost interest in running for the presidency after being defeated twice until Jokowi endorsed him.

"When I was asked if I would compete again for 2024, I explicitly said that my participation should receive the blessing and support from Mr. Joko Widodo. Why? Because we need continuity and commitment to accomplishments," Prabowo said during a gathering with the leaders of the Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama in Central Jakarta.

"All the progress, investments, and the substantial amount of people’s money must be managed and safeguarded. Is everything perfect today? Certainly not. Do we need to improve? Certainly, yes," Prabowo added.

Prabowo and Jokowi were arch-rivals in the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections. However, Jokowi extended an olive branch upon winning his second term by offering Prabowo the position of defense minister.

Prabowo told the Nahdlatul Ulama leaders that he accepted the offer on the belief that the country wouldn't progress if his rivalry with the president continued.

"I joined the government knowing that the challenges facing this nation wouldn’t get easier or simpler," Prabowo said.

Once joining the cabinet, Prabowo witnessed firsthand how Jokowi made crucial decisions and executed the mandate from the Indonesian people.

"Having closely observed the decision-making processes adopted by Mr. Jokowi, I became more confident that the government, as the bearer of the public mandate, must work sincerely and earnestly for the interests of the entire nation," Prabowo said.

Prabowo won the presidency alongside Jokowi’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as his running mate. They will succeed the Jokowi administration on October 20.

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