Golkar backing new figure for Cabinet reshuffle

The Golkar Party would apparently like to see its deputy chief, Syarif Cicip Sutardjo, appointed to the Cabinet in the coming reshuffle.

On Tuesday, Golkar Party executive board chief Priyo Budi Santoso said he was convinced of his colleague's abilities in that capacity.

“Sutarjo is a very capable person, so we believe he would do a good job should be entrusted with a ministerial post,” Priyo said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

The party's show of support for Sutarjo was conversely taken as indication that it no longer supported Coordinating Public Welfare minister Agung Laksono. A party official who requested anonymity said without elaboration that senior Golkar Party members had lost faith in Agung.

“That is why they have requested a replacement,” the official said.

Earlier, Golkar Party chief Aburizal Bakrie mentioned that the party expected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to consider professionalism over political affiliation in making his choices for the new Cabinet, in the hope that the government could optimize its performance at the end

of Yudhoyono's second presidential term.