TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) deputy secretary-general Ahmad Basarah, said that the chairman of PDIP Central Executive Board Puan Maharani is the most potential cadre to be the speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR).

"Puan Maharani is the most potential cadre. Based on the Legislative Institution [MD3] Law, a political party winning the 2019 legislative election has the right to appoint its cadre to be DPR Speaker," said Basarah when contacted on Monday evening, May 13, 2019.

Basarah explained that Puan has the capacity to be the Council Speaker considering her experiences in politics. Not only being a Minister of Coordinating Human Development and Culture for 2014-2019, he added, but Puan also used to be a chairwoman of PDIP Fraction for the 2009-2014 period and the party committee for three consecutive periods.

"Puan has a strong legitimation to be DPR Speaker because her vote acquisition in the 2019 legislative election reaches the highest record at over 420,000 votes," he noted.

According to him, Puan has good, broad social and political interaction with many parties. The daughter of Megawati Soekarnoputri is also the most trusted politician to deal with current public issues.

"However, the final decision on who will be assigned as the DPR Speaker from the party is still the prerogative right of PDIP chairwoman Ibu Megawati Soekarnoputri," he added.

Earlier, the party secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto provided a signal on the possibility of DPR speaker to be held by a woman. However, he stopped short of mentioning the name.

DEWI NURITA