State Palace Responds to Cabinet Reshuffle Rumors

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been rumored to enact yet another Cabinet reshuffle on February 1, which coincides with a particular day in the Javanese calendar. Asked to confirm whether there is truth behind this rumor, Coordinating Minister of Politics, Law, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said there are no agendas scheduled to be held at the State Palace today.

“I am not aware of it. There is no agenda at the Palace [on Wednesday] as the President will head to Bali,” said the Minister as he attended an event hosted by Nahdlatul Ulama in Jakarta, on January 31, Antaranews reported. 

Asked further if he is aware of any information regarding a Cabinet reshuffle, Mahfud MD insists that it is a piece of information the President would only know about.

“I do not know. Only the President knows,” he added. 

Separately, President Jokowi called for patience when asked by journalists whether he would reshuffle the current Cabinet State Ministers on Wednesday, February 1, which coincides with Wednesday Pon in the Javanese calendar. 

"We’ll just have to wait for tomorrow. Wednesday Pon is indeed tomorrow. The next day is Thursday Wage," Jokowi said after attending the anniversary of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) in Jakarta, on Tuesday evening.

The reshuffling of State Ministers in the current Cabinet was somewhat confirmed by PDIP politician Djarot Saiful Hidayat who said it is a certainty. Rife rumors have spread suggesting that Ministers from the NasDem Party are subject to be replaced. 

The current Ministers who come from NasDem Party are Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar, and Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate. 

ANTARA | M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH

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