TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Erick Thohir had reportedly acknowledged that he would be appointed as a minister by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo since the end of September.

Erick had even told his friend Sandiaga Uno about the offer, and so his inability to return to business after serving as the head of the Jokowi-Ma’ruf Amin campaign team in the 2019 presidential election.

“[I have] failed, bro. I have to join the cabinet [because] Bapak President ordered so,” said Sandiaga Uno, recalling his conversation with Erick as quoted from Tempo Magazine edition of Oct. 28-Nov. 3.

When asked on many occasions, Erick claimed he would not join in the cabinet should Jokowi was re-elected for the second term. “No, I’m not interested to join the cabinet,” said Erick at Senayan City, Jakarta, Friday, March 29.

He said that he planned to return to the business after the election ended. “I want to run [a business] again after April. Moreover, I have set aside my family for the last three years. After April, if Pak Jokowi is reelected, I will also have the chance to back to my family,” said Erick.

Sandiaga Uno then congratulated his former political rival for becoming a minister. However, when Sandiaga asked about the ministerial post, Erick Thohir claimed of being in the dark about the matter. Recently, President Jokowi inaugurated the leader of Mahaka Group as SOE Minister.

DEWI NURITA