PPP Prepares Minister Candidates for Future Jokowi Cabinet

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United Development Party (PPP) has prepared its cadres to be proposed as ministers for the second period of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo government cabinet. The name of the cadres will be adjusted according to the ministerial post offered by Jokowi to PPP.

"In principle, PPP will try to find the most  suitable cadres for the offered position, not because he/she has a high position in the party," said PPP Secretary General Arsul Sani when contacted by Tempo on Friday, June 7, 2019.

Arsul added that PPP will ignore the recent discourse saying that the cabinet will only be filled with professionals (zaken kabinet) in an effort to improve the government’s performance for the 2019-2024 period. Arsula also said that he is not worried that the plan will reduce the position allocation for political pasties.

"For PPP, the zaken kabinet does not necessarily reduces the allocation for political parties. Because whoever appointed by Jokowi as minister, must be able to work professionally, either a member of a party, or not," Arsul said.

The suggestion to form a cabinet filled with professionals was proposed by the Advisory Committee of the Pancasila Ideology Development Institution (BPIP) on May 9, 2019. The BPIP suggested that the future cabinet should consists of professionals to allow the smoothness of any development program.

Arsul said there has been a misunderstanding on the presence of political figures in government cabinet. Many believed that the government cabinet will be better if it consists of non-politcal party professionals.

"In political party there are many professionals with clear track records," Arsul argued.

EGI ADYATAMA