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Golkar wants more than five seats in Prabowo’s incoming cabinet
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A journalist records acting Golkar Party chair Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita (center) during a press briefing after a party plenary executive meeting in Jakarta on Aug. 13, 2024. (Antara/Aditya Pradana Putra)
T
he Golkar Party, the second-largest political party by representation at the House of Representatives and one of the parties behind the victory of Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto in February’s presidential election, is seeking to secure more than five posts in the incoming cabinet.
This came as Golkar failed to retain the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) speakership it held in the previous term, leading to speculation that Golkar allowed Gerindra the top MPR post in exchange for more portfolios in Prabowo’s incoming cabinet.
“While the decision [on the cabinet makeup] lies in the hands of Prabowo, I hope Golkar gets more [than five positions] so that the party can contribute more to the public,” Golkar secretary-general Sarmuji said on Wednesday at the House complex in Jakarta.
Golkar is the largest party in the pro-Prabowo coalition – even bigger than Prabowo’s own Gerindra, the de facto leader of the coalition.
Not long after Prabowo won the February election, then Golkar chair Airlangga Hartarto openly suggested that his party deserved at least five ministerial posts in the incoming cabinet but later backtracked on the comments amid pushback from other pro-Prabowo coalition members.
A Gerindra executive at the time said that how many cabinet positions a party would get depended on how it contributed to the victory of Prabowo.
Read also: Prabowo allies will be satisfied by cabinet makeup: Gerindra
