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House speaker endorses Megawati’s daughter as successor
Bambang Soesatyo of the Golkar Party said Puan Maharani would bring harmony between the government and the House of Representatives.
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Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) matron Megawati Soekarnoputri (second left) and her daughter Puan Maharani (third left) attend a campaign event in Surakarta, Central Java, earlier this year. (Antara/Mohammad Ayudha)
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s the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the champion of the April legislative race, is set to take over the House of Representatives’ top post, House Speaker Bambang Soesatyo expressed on Saturday his support for Puan Maharani, the daughter of party matron Megawati Soekarnoputri, to succeed him as the next House leader.
The Golkar Party politician said that Puan, who is a former lawmaker who currently serves as a government minister, met all the requirements to take over his role in the legislative body.
"I believe that Puan can easily lead the House [...] considering her experiences as the coordinating minister [for human development and cultural affairs],” Bambang said during a party event.
Since Puan is a member of the ruling party that has backed the Jokowi administration, he said the relationship between the House and the government would improve with her as speaker.
"There will be no more disputes between the House and the government,” he said.
The government was often at loggerheads with the House during Jokowi’s first term in office. The period was marked by a low number of bills passed by the lawmakers and frequent changes of House speakers.
Bambang is the third Golkar politician to become House speaker in the last five years, making it the most tumultuous House period in its history. Bambang succeded fellow Golkar politician Setya Novanto, who has been jailed for graft.
