TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli Hasan said that President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo had agreed to his suggestion to reshuffle the cabinet after Eid al-Fitr.

"I think it would not be wise to do cabinet reshuffling in this holy month of Ramadan," he said at the Presidential office on Friday.

"I think by the end of August or September, it would be appropriate to talk about it (cabinet reshuffle),” he said.

According to Zulkifli, the government’s priorities are now to provide the people’s needs during Ramadan and Eid. He also said that the government must also handle the people’s homecoming before Eid.

Zulkifli further said that reshuffling the cabinet after Eid would be done at an ideal time as it is almost exactly one year since the cabinet was established.

For the record, President Joko Widodo conveyed his intention to reshuffle his economic ministers in the Working Cabinet to economists who visited him on 29 June.

Economist from Gadjah Mada University Tony Prasetiantono said that the President realized that the performances of some of his ministers are still below target.

In the meantime, Secretary General of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Hasto Kristiyanto said that the President was expected to reshuffle the cabinet based on the performance and the reshuffle is aimed at improving effectiveness and consolidation of the government.

MAHARDIKA SATRIA HADI | TIKA PRIMANDARI