TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Gerindra Party deputy chairman Fadli Zon says he will remain vocal and critical against the government if the opposition party decides to join the cabinet in power in the future.

“I will continue to be the voice for the people, for my constituents,” said Fadli in the Senayan Parliamentary Complex on Thursday, August 8.

He maintains that voicing the interests of the constituents is mandated by the constitution and denies that he will be censored once his political party joins the Jokowi – Ma’ruf Amin coalition.

“I will work for the people’s interest as I work at the House of Representatives (DPR). The constituents’ voices are the mandate of the constitution,” said Fadli.

He argues that the government will need to be monitored constantly as for the country’s balance of power, adding that DPR should do their task to practice check and balance against the country’s executive.

The political party led by Chairman Prabowo Subianto is reported to be handed the “red carpet” to enter the government’s coalition, which was initially signaled by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) as President Jokowi’s main political backer.

An Indonesian Cabinet consisting of figures from pro-government and opposition seemed to be stronger as a meeting between Jokowi and Prabowo took place in an MRT station on July 13. A gesture of truce between opposing figures happened again when PDIP chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri met with the Gerindra Chairman on July 24.

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI