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View all search resultsPKS is now opposition, says Dems
The executive chairman of the ruling Democratic Party, Syariefuddin Hasan says that he now considers the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) no longer a member of the government coalition following another 'rebellious' move by the party to reject the government's fuel policy
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T
he executive chairman of the ruling Democratic Party, Syariefuddin Hasan says that he now considers the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) no longer a member of the government coalition following another 'rebellious' move by the party to reject the government's fuel policy.
'It's now clear that the PKSis indeed an opposition party,' Syariefuddin, who is also the Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises minister, told journalists at the State Palace on Tuesday.
The minister was asked to comment on the PKS' move to side with opposition parties during a plenary meeting at the House of Representatives onMonday. The meeting, which eventually endorsed the revised 2013 state budget, turned heated after multiple lawmakers engaged in debates concerning the government's proposal to increase subsidized fuel prices.
Along with five other parties, the PKS supported President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during the 2009 presidential election. It has three ministers in the Cabinet: Communications and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring, Agriculture Minister Suswono and Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri.
When asked about the fate of the three PKS ministers, Syariefuddin suggested that the PKS could withdraw them, 'because the three ministers were initially proposed by the PKS.'
Unlike PKS executives, Tifatul, Suswono, and Salim have repeatedly said that they would support Yudhyono's policy on fuel prices.
'If the PKS feels that their ministers have not gone along with the party's decision, then the party could punish them,' Syariefuddin said, adding that it would be possible for the three ministers to join
the Democratic Party.
'The government is now focusing on monitoring preparations for the implementation of the fuel price increase as well as its compensation programs. After that, we will focus on what we should do
with the PKS,' he said.
