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Jokowi expands coalition with new deputy ministers
In an apparent attempt to build a broad coalition that is widely seen as key to achieving his developmental goals, the President quadrupled the number of deputy ministers — from only three in his first term — to accommodate more political parties in his administration.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and the new deputy ministers in the Indonesia Onward Cabinet after the announcement on Friday. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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die-hard supporter, the treasurer of his campaign team and representatives of five political parties that backed his presidential bid — including those with no seats at the House of Representatives — are among the 12 deputy ministers named by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to assist his new Cabinet.
In an apparent attempt to build a broad coalition that is widely seen as key to achieving his developmental goals, the President quadrupled the number of deputy ministers — from only three in his first term — to accommodate more political parties in his administration.
Among the politically wired deputy ministers are Angela Herliani Tanoesoedibjo, the daughter of United Indonesia Party (Perindo) founder Hary Tanoesoedibjo, and Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) politician Surya Tjandra. Perindo and the PSI, which failed to get enough votes to get seats in the House during the April 17 legislative election, have been staunch supporters of President Jokowi.
Angela, a former managing director of Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia (RCTI), a subsidiary of diversified conglomerate MNC Group that was founded by her father, was appointed deputy tourism and creative economy minister, while Surya was named deputy agrarian and spatial planning minister.
Kuskridho Ambardi, a political communications expert from Gadjah Mada University (UGM), said the new deputy minister positions were apparently created to accommodate the interests of Jokowi’s coalition and that it was possible that they would only make the Cabinet less effective.
“Just a few days ago the President said that he wanted to reduce the number of echelon officials to simplify the bureaucracy and make it more efficient but now [he] increases the number of deputy ministers,” he told The Jakarta Post.
The President also gave deputy ministerial posts to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician and former Jayawijaya regent John Wempi Wetipo, United Development Party (PPP) politician and Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) deputy chairman Zainut Tauhid, Golkar Party politician Jerry Sambuaga, the former treasurer of Jokowi and Ma’ruf Amin’s campaign team, Wahyu Sakti Trenggono, and the leader of the volunteer group Projo Budi Arie Setiadi.
