SBY Gives AHY Blessing to become Minister; Will Not Attend Inauguration

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Democrat Party's deputy secretary general Ossy Dermawan said that former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or SBY had given his son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), the party chairman, blessings to become minister. However, SBY will not attend Agus's inauguration by President Joko Widodo at the State Palace, which is scheduled to take place at noon today, February 21.

Ossy said that SBY had prayed for and given his blessing to AHY to carry out his state duties. "SBY will not attend today's oath-taking ceremony as he just arrived in Cikeas after a trip to Central Java and East Java," Ossy said.

Sources said on Tuesday that Jokowi will appoint Hadi Tjahjanto as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, removing the former TNI Commander from his position as Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning. That post will be taken by Democratic Party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) as confirmed by our sources in the palace.

Ossy said AHY met his father on Tuesday night after the former president returned from his trip. He asked for SBY's blessings to take on his new duty as Minister of ATR/BPN. Like his predecessors, AHY's position means that he will also serve as head of the National Land Agency (BPN).

The Democratic Party has been an opposition of the government for almost 10 years throughout Jokowi's term as president. Later, the Democrats joined the coalition of parties supporting Jokowi, to back Prabowo Subianto in this year's presidential elections.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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