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View all search resultsJokowi denies statement on 'religious minister'
Presidential candidate Joko âJokowiâ Widodo has rejected a statement by National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, who claimed that he would pick someone from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) to become religious affairs minister should he win the presidential election on July 9
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residential candidate Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo has rejected a statement by National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, who claimed that he would pick someone from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) to become religious affairs minister should he win the presidential election on July 9.
'No, it's not true. I never said that,' Jokowi said Wednesday during a visit to the Gondangdia Market in Menteng, Central Jakarta, as quoted by kompas.com.
During a PKB event in Surabaya, East Java, last Sunday, Muhaimin claimed that the religious affairs minister in the next government would come from NU, Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, whose members account for the majority of PKB politicians. Muhaimin claimed to be refuting widespread rumors that Jokowi would appoint a Shiite to the position if he became president.
Jokowi's running mate, Jusuf Kalla, who also attended the event, confirmed Muhaimin's statement but did not provide further details.
Jokowi said that since the legislative election in April, he had not discussed the possible composition of his Cabinet. He also denied that he had promised any ministerial positions to members of his coalition partners, namely the PKB, the NasDem Party and the Hanura party.
'I've said that our collaboration is non-transactional and free from matters relating to power-sharing,' Jokowi said, adding that any discussion about ministerial positions would take place only if he was elected on July 9.
Jokowi and Kalla, whose presidential ticket is supported by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) coalition, is expected to secure 207 seats or 39.97 percent of the total number of seats in the House of Representatives. (gda/ebf)
