Prabowo Urged Not to Bring 'Toxic' People into Cabinet
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6 May 2024 10:34 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan’s suggestion to President-elect Prabowo Subianto not to include ‘toxic’ people in the new cabinet has sparked a polemic. What does Luhut mean?
Jodi Mahardi, Luhut's spokesperson, explained that the senior minister used the term 'toxic' to refer to parties who have the potential to obstruct the progress of the Prabowo-Gibran Rakabuming Raka government.
“Pak Luhut uses the term 'toxic' to refer to parties who tend to hinder the progress of the cabinet program because they are not in line with the designed vision and goals,” Jodi told Tempo on Sunday, May 5.
Jodi added that the term was used to highlight the importance of a unified focus in executing government programs for the common good.
Luhut was asked for clarification
A political observer from Al-Azhar University, Ujang Komarudin, argued on Sunday, May 5, that Luhut could indeed be referring to a specific person or group through his statement. However, Ujang declined to speculate on who that person might be.
He opined that Luhut's version of toxic people could be individuals who are critical or dissenting toward Luhut, or those who do not support President Joko Widodo's initiatives, that would be proceeded by the Prabowo-Gibran.
He also assessed that Luhut's statement was not a warning to Prabowo not to overstep President Jokowi, who is Gibran's father, in determining the cabinet. “I don't think so. It’s clear that Prabowo has the prerogative to determine the cabinet without any interference from anyone,” he said.
Therefore, Ujang advised Luhut to clarify his statement so as not to cause further polemics.
Prabowo-Gibran is scheduled to be sworn in as Indonesian President and Vice President for the 2024-2029 period on October 20, 2024.
DEFARA DHANYA PARAMITHA | ADINDA JASMINE PRASETYO | SULTAN ABDURRAHMAN | ANTARA
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