Aug. 9 p2

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the political party of President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo, has given him a deadline to reshuffle his Cabinet by saying that people are demanding change on account of the sub-par performances of some ministers. PDI-P central executive board head Andreas Hugo Pareira said on Saturday that Jokowi should announce the Cabinet changes right after the annual state address on Aug. 16. '€œIf possible, [the new lineup should be announced] right after the speech so that ministers can prepare to manage their budgets,'€ he said during a discussion in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Saturday.

The party has been putting pressure on Jokowi since May, suggesting that the President should listen to the Great Indonesia Coalition, of which the PDI-P is a member, and reshuffle his Cabinet. Jokowi has confirmed that he has received the required evaluation reports from his ministers and indicated there are Cabinet members who are in the '€œred zone'€.

However, he declined to comment on whether he would use the reports as consideration in reshuffling
the Cabinet.

Your comments:

It would be good if President Jokowi did not bow to the pressure. The President belongs to everyone. He has the prerogative to install or remove ministers. It seems that almost all ministers are making progress right now. Why should he bother firing them? Some people adjust to a new environment very fast, but others may need more time to perform well.

However, the foreign minister should speak English sometimes, because we would be proud of her if she spoke English on TV.       

Syarwan    

It would be good and really helpful for the country if all PDI-P hypocrites out there stay calm. On what basis do you claim that almost all ministers are making progress right now? By the fact that growth was not as expected and turned out to be slower? By the fact that high inflation is occurring everywhere? By the fact that the rupiah is weakening by the day?

Simba

If anything should be reshuffled or dissolved, it'€™s the PDI-P. Ever since endorsing the President, its members have been making demands of and belittling and humiliating the President.

The PDI-P needs to realize that President Jokowi supposedly represents all of Indonesia and its people, not the '€œGreat Indonesian Coalition'€ The PDI-P certainly does not have a good record of governance.

Willo

I wonder just what impact a Cabinet reshuffle would have right now. The real problem is an overall lack of political cohesion and unified governmental decision-making, which sadly must also reflect directly on the political leadership as well as on unsolicited political interference by certain other third-party interests. A reshuffle based on capability and aptitude is one thing.

A reshuffle based on political party manipulation and cronyism is quite another. The head of state should be setting his own agendas and public explanations and if, as stated in the article, he is now more courageous, mature and authoritative in his decision-making it is time for him now to fully and publicly prove it.

Mayling

GDP growth has dropped from 5.5 percent to 4.6 percent since he became President.

That doesn'€™t sound much, but it amounts to a 20 percent slowdown in velocity. That'€™s a very bad start for a president who wanted to lift growth to 7 percent by 2017. I would say his plans for faster economic growth are already blown out of the water.

The only question now is: Does the whole Indonesian economy crumble after the US raises official interest rates?

Lasem Benny

'€œThe Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle [PDI-P], the political party of President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo, has given him a deadline [...]'€

The head of state should give deadlines '€” not be given them!

What a topsy-turvy place Indonesia has become!

Terry McAsee

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