State Palace Addresses Rumors of Cabinet Reshuffle in Jokowi's Administration

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential Office chief expert Ali Mochtar Ngabalin on Thursday hinted at a Cabinet reshuffle following strong rumors that President Jokowi’s administration will yet again introduce another shake-up in the line of his State Ministers. 

Ngabalin said it would possibly be enacted as early as January, despite the President himself remaining tight-lipped about the exact deadline. 

“It could possibly be in January. We’ll have to wait together,” said Ngabalin to journalists on Thursday, January 5. 

Ngabalin asked the minister who would later be replaced to remain as enthusiastic as when they were first appointed into office. He asked the ministers not to be emotional, let alone angry, or even irritated.

"Because your time ends here. Still, we have to thank the President as he appointed and dismissed [the Ministers]," said Ngabalin who was a former electoral campaign team for Jokowi’s rival Prabowo in the 2014 presidential election. 

Strong Urges from PDIP for a Cabinet Reshuffle 

As reported previously, a number of politicians from the PDIP party pressed the President to reshuffle state ministers from the NasDem party such as Agriculture Minister Syahril Yasin Limpo and Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar. 

PDIP Chair Djarot Saiful Hidayat said the aforementioned Ministers are urged to be replaced considering the NasDem party had recently pledged to endorse former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan in the 2024 Presidential Election. Cementing the notion that they are set to be replaced not based on performance alone. 

There are also calls for NasDem to be excluded from President Jokowi’s coalition of political parties. 

“The first reason is performance. The second is the political party. If they are actually gentlemen, it would be best that their Ministers resign,” said Djarot at the PDIP headquarters on January 3.

He considered that ministers from NasDem were somewhat incompatible with Jokowi's policies. On the other hand, NasDem carries Anies who is seen as Jokowi's antithesis.

"It is gentler (to resign). Because it seems that it may not be compatible with Jokowi's policies, including what was conveyed was the antithetical figure of Pak Jokowi," said Djarot. 

In addition, reflecting on the performance and solidity of the cabinet, Djarot believes that within a certain period of time, Jokowi will definitely reshuffle his Cabinet members. He said his partners in Commission IV, namely the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, had not been able to assist the President.

Djarot gave an example of the performance of Minister Syahrul who has not brought Indonesia to be self-sufficient in food. Instead of being self-sufficient, he said the price of rice had gone up. In addition, 500 thousand tons of imported rice have just arrived in Indonesia.

Cabinet Reshuffle and President’s Prerogative 

Meanwhile, PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto said the reshuffle was the President's prerogative. He is absolutely sure that President Jokowi will make careful calculations before reshuffling his ministers.

“Reshuffle is not possible without the will from the President who also has his own calculations regarding this matter," said Hasto.

FAJAR PEBRIANTO

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