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Jokowi reasserts control over next Cabinet
Jokowi claimed that around 55 percent of the appointments were his own choice, while the remaining 45 percent were political party suggestions.
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (The Jakarta Post/Wienda Parwitasari)
F
ollowing weeks of lobbying, jockeying and speculation, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appeared to reassert control over the Cabinet minister selection process for his second term on Wednesday by announcing that the lineup has been finalized, though he stopped short of naming names.
Jokowi claimed that around 55 percent of the appointments were his own choice, while the remaining 45 percent were political party suggestions.
He also said the sub-Cabinet position of attorney general, which is currently held by NasDem Party politician Muhammad Prasetyo, would be filled by a professional rather than a party appointee.
The President further signaled that there were unlikely to be additional parties from outside his coalition accommodated in the Cabinet, given that his camp already controlled around 62 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives. "How many more do we need?" he said.
Speculation about Jokowi's new Cabinet has been rife since the General Elections Commission (KPU) confirmed him and running mate Ma'ruf Amin as the official winners of the 2019 election in June. The maneuvers of the Gerindra Party, led by losing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, have strained the ruling coalition as members have shown resistance to accept new members in the camp. They are concerned that it would cost them their Cabinet seats.
Jakarta-based pollster Populi Center director Usep S. Ahyar said Jokowi's announcement seemed to be geared toward answering public criticisms of his current Cabinet.
"Jokowi has heard the public aspirations for there to be a higher proportion of professionals in the Cabinet, especially in strategic positions," he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. "The attorney general position, for example, is a very important position that requires impartiality and thus should not be given to a party politician."
