Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng has confirmed President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's next Cabinet will possibly include members from the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
While Andi, also a deputy chairman of Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, did not actually mention the party names, he hinted they might be involved in the next Cabinet.
“The President will choose competent and clean individuals, regardless of whether they are partisans.
“As for partisans [to be included in the Cabinet], only members of the coalition will be selected, but
it is possible the coalition will be widened or extended,” Andi told The Jakarta Post.
He made the statement amid intensifying talks about the Golkar Party possibly returning to the government coalition and the PDI-P also joining the coalition.
On Wednesday, another Democratic Party deputy chairman, Ahmad Mubarok, said the party's moves to approach the PDI-P were a mere “political game”.
“It’s not actually an attempt to approach the party, but to put pressure on our coalition partners. By acting as if we are trying to approach the PDI-P, other parties in the coalition will not dare try anything with us.
“It’s a mere political game,” he said Wednesday.
The Democratic Party signed in May a coalition agreement with 22 smaller parties, including four major Islamic parties that won seats at the House of Representatives in the April 9 legislative elections.
The four parties, which include the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB), are likely to make up a large portion of the next Cabinet apart from Yudhoyono’s own Democratic Party.
It is also believed Yudhoyono might bring in Golkar and PDI-P politicians into his Cabinet, as a strong faction in Golkar is still loyal to the incumbent President, and Democratic Party chairman Hadi Utomo recently met with PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri at her residence.
However, many observers have urged both the Golkar Party and PDI-P to remain opposition parties so as to maintain a balance of power in the government as well as the House.
Kompas daily senior journalist Budiarto Shambazy said Thursday that it was more important for the PDI-P to stay in the Parliament, than pursue ministerial positions in the new Cabinet, given the "critical situation today".
It is also feared a merger of the Golkar Party and the PDI-P in the Democratic Party-led coalition will create a much too powerful government and paralyze the House. Andi refused to name any potential candidates for the next ministerial posts, saying Yudhoyono and his vice-president-elect Boediono were not picking names for the posts yet. (adh)
