President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s plan on cabinet reshuffle is still on the table, pending a ruling from the Constitutional Court (MK) on the election system. A senior politician in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) said the president would proceed with his plan to shake up his cabinet following the Nasdem Party’s public support to former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to run for presidency.
“If they (Nasdem Party) decided to quit the coalition, their three ministers would be kicked out [from the cabinet],” the politician, who requested anonymity, told Indonesia Business Post on February 17, 2023.
He said Jokowi would replace two Nasdem’s cadres: Communication and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate and Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) conducted a case exposure on October 25, 2022, and found sufficient evidence to support an allegation of Plate’s involvement in a corruption case in the procurement of the Base Transceiver Station. Meanwhile, Jokowi has seen Limpo as unable to increase the value of agricultural products during his tenure.
Read also: Jokowi to oust Nasdem’s minister after party supports Anies Baswedan for 2024 polls
The Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar will likely stay in the cabinet due to her good performance and professionalism as a minister.
“If she is still in the cabinet, it means Nasdem is still in the government coalition,” he added.
The politician said it would not make sense if a minister from opposing party still joined the cabinet. “We need to wait whether the president will replace the Nasdem ministers or not,” he added.
Jokowi will definitely pick a replacement for Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Zainudin Amali, who resigned after he was named deputy chairman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) recently. State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir took over the PSSI top spot on February 16, 2023.
The PDIP politician explained that despite that Jokowi would wait for the opportune moment to shake up his cabinet. Apart from picking the “best day” according to the primbon (Javanese manuscript notebook), Jokowi is also waiting for a ruling from the Constitutional Court regarding the election system.
Read also: President Jokowi likely to replace three ministers, source says
The Court is still considering to rule whether the 2024 legislative election will use open proportional system or close proportional system. It will also decide whether the voters will elect a political party or a legislative candidate in the legislative election. “The result of the court ruling will determine the political configuration,” the politician said.
However, Executive Director of Indonesian Political Parameters, Adi Prayitno, said the president would only seek Amali’s replacement as sports minister. He said the reshuffle issue, which involves Nasdem ministers, has somehow subsided.
“The issue of a reshuffle that had surfaced regarding the Nasdem ministers seemed to have vanished following a meeting between Jokowi and [Nasdem Party chairman] Surya Paloh at the Palace recently. It seems the Palace and Nasdem have reconciled politically,” Adi said on February 21, 2023, as quoted by detik.com.
