T

he National Awakening Party (PKB) is hoping one of its four candidates takes the reins of the Religious Affairs Ministry, while the Hanura Party is eyeing defense and intelligence posts in the incoming administration of president-elect Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo.

PKB executive and a deputy on Jokowi'€™s transition team, Eko Sandjojo, revealed on Wednesday that the party had put forward four of its best members to fill positions in Jokowi'€™s Cabinet.

Among the candidates are PKB chairman and Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar, PKB faction leader at the House of Representatives Marwan Ja'€™far and the owner of the nation'€™s largest privately run airline Lion Air, Rusdi Kirana.

While declining to reveal most of the targeted ministries, PKB executive and lawmaker Ibnu Multazam acknowledged that PKB was vying to lead the Religious Affairs Ministry, which is currently headed by Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP) politician Lukman Hakim Saifuddin.

As the PPP has yet to join Jokowi'€™s coalition, the PKB, as the sole Islamic-based party in the coalition, retains greater chance of landing the job.

'€œThe party'€™s candidates and targeted ministerial posts are determined by our chairman [Muhaimin]. Alhamdulillah [Praise God] if Jokowi chooses one of our members to lead the Religious Affairs Ministry,'€ he said in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

Ibnu provided no conjecture about the ministerial seat eyed by Rusdi, however, on several occasions; Rusdi has openly declared his intention to become trade, tourism or agriculture minister.

Ibnu said that the party would also add PKB executive Imam Nachrowi to its ministerial candidate list.

'€œThe four candidates represent many of our talented members. We may add Nachrowi to the existing list,'€ he said.

The PKB and Hanura candidates will compete with the chosen politicians of the Indonesian Democratic party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the NasDem Party to fill 16 of 34 ministerial posts in the Cabinet. The 18 remaining posts are earmarked for professionals.

A source from Hanura said that the party, which is chaired by former Indonesian Military (TNI) commander and defense minister Gen. (ret.) Wiranto, had submitted four ministerial candidate names to Jokowi, including party executive Yuddy Chrisnandi and lawmakers Iqbal Alan Abdullah, Susaningtyas Kertopati and Saleh Husin.

The source said that Hanura was eyeing three ministerial posts, including defense minister and a position at the National Intelligence Agency (BIN).

Ibnu said that none of the candidates were pursuing the top job at the Education and Culture Ministry, which under the Jokowi administration would likely be split into two separate institutions, the Elementary and Middle Education Ministry and the Higher Education and Research Ministry.

'€œMany surveys name Anies as the top contender,'€ Ibnu said, referring to Anies Baswedan, Paramadina University rector and a deputy on Jokowi'€™s transition team.

Other suitable candidates include Indonesia Education University (UPI) rector Sunaryo Kartadinata and Jakarta State University (UNJ) rector Djaali.

Teuku Kemal Fasya, an Aceh-based anthropologist and educator, expected Jokowi to break away from the tradition of choosing an Islamic group-affiliated rector or professor as Education and Culture Minister.

'€œTraditionally, if the Religious Affairs Ministry is led by a Nahdlatul Ulama member, a Muhammadiyah figure will get the Education and Culture Ministry top post. Jokowi needs to abandon this tradition. We cannot compromise education with politics,'€ Kemal said.