Jusuf Kalla's Account of Questioning Megawati's Decision to Endorse Jokowi

Jusuf Kalla recounted his experience when he was asked to accompany Joko Widodo in the 2014 presidential election. He said the offer came from the General Chair of PDI Perjuangan, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Initially, Jusuf Kalla questioned Megawati’s decision to endorse Jokowi as a presidential candidate. According to him, Jokowi did not yet have sufficient experience to be assigned as head of state.

“Only two years as Governor (of Jakarta),” said Kalla during a press conference at his home in the Jakarta Selatan area on Saturday, 18 April 2026.

JK, as he is known, once advised the general chair of the bull party to reconsider the nomination of the former Solo Mayor. “Not enough experience, it will ruin this country,” said this vice president of the 10th and 12th periods.

However, he said, Megawati still asked him to accompany Jokowi, who was nominated by PDIP in the 2014 presidential election. According to him, Sukarno’s daughter still trusted him to duet with Jokowi. “Why me? Because I have experience,” he said.

In fact, he said that at that time he wanted to return to Makassar after several years of serving in the government. “It wasn’t me who asked (to become vice president), Mrs Megawati who asked,” said Kalla.

Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla competed with the candidate pair Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa in the 2014 Presidential Election. The Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla pair was supported by the coalition of PDIP, NasDem, PKB, Hanura, and PKPI.

Meanwhile, the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa pair was supported by the coalition of Partai Gerindra, PAN, PPP, PKS, Golkar, PBB. In that battle, the Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla pair led with 53.15 percent of the vote.