Jockeying for Cabinet seats by member parties of the ruling coalition and two major opposition parties has intensified ahead of the inauguration ceremony marking the start of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's second term in Jakarta on Sunday.

Jokowi claimed on Thursday that he had finished forming his new Cabinet and would name his new ministers on Inauguration Day or the day after. But political parties — both within the ruling coalition and among the opposition — have indicated the new Cabinet lineup is far from final.

One of the most contentious issues is the question of whether the President will give Cabinet seats to the nation's largest opposition parties: the Gerindra Party and the Democratic Party.

Parties supporting Jokowi in the April 17 presidential election have asked Jokowi not to include the two opposition parties in the Cabinet, but Gerindra and the Dems have said they are still waiting for the President's call.

In recent days, the President has reportedly met with leaders of his coalition parties to talk about the new Cabinet formation. He met with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri on Tuesday, Golkar Party leader Airlangga Hartarto and NasDem Party leader Surya Paloh on Wednesday and United Development Party (PPP) leader Suharso Monoarfa on Thursday.

The parties claimed that the new Cabinet lineup did not include either Gerindra or Democrat members.

“Certainly since Wednesday's meeting, we still believe that the basic composition of the Cabinet is his coalition party members and professional appointments. If he later adds more to the coalition, he will call us again,” said NasDem secretary-general Johnny G. Plate.

They suggested that if Jokowi wanted to add new members to the ruling coalition then it should be done in the first Cabinet reshuffle of his second term.

"Those [political parties] that join [the ruling coalition] late should do what we the initial members did. We want to see their commitment first," said National Awakening Party (PKB) deputy chairman Jazilul Fawaid.

The PKB is eyeing six ministerial posts, including the Trade Ministry, Social Affairs Ministry and Religious Affairs Ministry.

Golkar has been more blunt in expressing its objection to the inclusion of Gerindra and the Democrats. "In the context of democracy, the losing side should become the opposition. Ideally, that should be the case," party spokesman Ace Hasan Syadzily said.

Gerindra, however, is optimistic it will get Cabinet posts.

Speaking to thousands of Gerindra members, party chairman Prabowo Subianto, who lost the election to Jokowi, said the party had offered "concepts" to the President in a bid to join the government. The party is now waiting for the President's call, said Prabowo's spokesman, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak.

"It is up to Jokowi. What matters is that we have proposed the concepts. We will let him decide."

Gerindra deputy chairman Edhy Prabowo has been tapped to work with Jokowi, Dahnil said.

The party initially offered three ministerial candidates, namely Edhy, former vice-presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno and former House of Representatives deputy speaker Fadli Zon.

Sandiaga, Dahnil said, was now focusing on Gerindra's cooperatives, as well as serving as the deputy head of the party's advisory board. "Sandi has declined the offer. He will remain outside the government. Fadli too," he said, adding that both men had talked to Prabowo about the issue.

Gerindra is reportedly eying ministerial posts controlling food and energy and security and defense, as well as a plan to boost Indonesia's annual economic growth to as much as 15 percent.

The party said it would accept Jokowi's decision, but admitted that the lobbying efforts were still under way. "Prabowo will again speak together with Jokowi," said Gerindra Party secretary-general Ahmad Muzani.

The latest meeting of Jokowi and Prabowo occurred on Oct. 11 at the State Palace, with the two men making statements to the press together after the meeting.

Jokowi, at that time, said the meeting indeed included talks about the Cabinet, but it was not final yet. "When it is final. We will be speaking together again."

Several electronic documents purportedly showing the new Cabinet line up have been circulating online, although none has been confirmed by the State Palace. The President himself commented on the purported "leaks" on his Instagram account, calling on the public to be "patient".

The President said the country had "no shortage of great and capable people to head ministries and institutions and who are willing to serve the nation".

"They come from all fields of work and professions: academics, government officials, politicians, santri [Islamic boarding school students], also the military and the police. It is not difficult to find them," he said.

Presidential expert staff member Ali Mochtar Ngabalin has said that Edhy is a potential candidate to obtain the Agriculture Ministry post.

He also hinted that the Democrats' Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono might be included in the Cabinet.

"Hopefully, God willing they could be accepted to strengthen the Cabinet."

Meanwhile, East Nusa Tenggara Governor Viktor Laiskodat, a NasDem Party member, is reported to have been offered a ministerial post by the President.

"The President has told Governor Viktor Laiskodat to be prepared to serve as a minister in the next Cabinet," a spokesman at the East Nusa Tenggara administration said as quoted by Antara.

The NasDem Party, however, would not confirm the report. "We cannot overstep the President's [authority]. We'll just have to wait," Johnny said.

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