Yudhoyono wants PDI-P involved in government

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono wants all parties, including those in the opposition, to play roles in government, Democratic Party lawmaker Benny Kabur Harman says.

All parties are supposed to work together to support the Yudhoyono administration until its term ends in 2014, Benny said Thursday.

He was responding comments on a controversial meeting on Tuesday between Yudhoyono’s special staff Andi Arief and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) top executives Pramono Anung and Puan Maharani.

Speculation emerged that Yudhoyono, through his envoy, offered several ministerial posts to the PDI-P, the largest opposition party.

Benny, also a member of the House inquiry committee into the Bank Century bailout, said Andi had been sent “to develop communication with all parties, including the PDI-P, to secure Yudhoyono’s administration”.

Benny denied speculation that the meetings were intended to serve as warnings for coalition partners that were difficult for the government to control, including the Golkar Party.

“Which party? The one that is pushing for impeachment? Everybody knows impeachment is just an opinion, but impossible to implement,” he said.

While the Golkar Party had occasionally moved off the pitch, “the ball is still in the field,” Democratic Party deputy chairman Anas Urbaningrum said.

He denied Yudhoyono’s plan to replace ministers from Golkar.

“Our relations with the Golkar Party are excellent,” he said.