TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Puan Maharani, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, has dismissed allegations that she has violated President Jokowi’s instruction that all of his ministers should not occupy a structural post in their parties.
Puan—a daughter of ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chair Megawati Soekarnoputri—is still listed as the party’s chief of politics and inter-department division. Puan, however, said he was already inactive in the party.
“And I’m now focusing on the tasks and responsibilities entrusted to me as the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, “ she told Tempo on Wednesday, April 1, 2015.
A number of politicians, including National Democratic (NasDem) Party faction secretary Syarif Abdullah Alkadrie, have blasted Puan for still being active in the PDI-P. Syarif said the president had asked his ministers to fulfill their commitment to not keeping their jobs at the parties upon their installment.
Earlier, Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo had relinquished his prestigious position as the PDI-P secretary general after his appointment as minister. “I become inactive [in the party] upon my inauguration,” he said on Tuesday, October 28, 2014. Tjahjo had also tendered his resignation as House lawmaker for 2014-2019.
Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi and Industry Minister Saleh Husin have also resigned from their posts in the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura) after appointed as ministers.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla, meanwhile, said the president’s instruction was not a written, binding order, yet all ministers were advised to withdraw from their structural positions in their parties.
Commenting on Puan, the vice president said to his knowledge Puan was no longer active in both the country’s political stage and at the House of Representatives. “To my knowledge, Puan spends her time at her ministry,” he said.
ANANDA TERESIA
