President To Directly Communicate With Jokowi

Manokwari, Papua, Aug 22 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will directly communicate with President-elect Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, in a timely manner, according to his spokesman, Julian Aldrin Pasha. Pasha, in his text message to Antara here on Friday, stated that the direct communication between Yudhoyono and Jokowi will be part of the transitional process towards forming the new government. "President Yudhoyono said that morally he will be happy to help the new president if needed," Pasha stated, adding that the president will do so with good intentions to facilitate the transitional process towards the formation of the new government. "The head of state will communicate directly with the president-elect in a timely manner," Pasha remarked. But, on his Twitter account @SBYudhoyono on Friday morning, President Yudhoyono denied the allegation stating that he was meddling in the affairs of President-elect Jokowi. "Today, I received numerous negative messages, and I know they are also being circulated in a number of circles," Yudhoyono asserted. The president noted that the messages said Yudhoyono and the Democrat Party should not interfere in Jokowi`s affairs during the formation of the new government. "It means that Yudhoyono should not disturb or interfere in Jokowi`s affairs," the president remarked. "I really do not understand what the message means because I do not have any intention whatsoever to disturb Jokowi," Yudhoyono affirmed. The head of state noted in his state-of-the-nation address on August 15, 2014, that morally, as president, who will end his term of office in October, he will help the new president. "I am happy to help if desired. So, it is up to the new president. There are no bad thoughts," the president added.