TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Drajad Wibowo, the deputy chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said on Saturday, August 23, 2014, that his party would refuse ministerial positions if it was offered president-elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. According to Drajad, PAN has joined the Red-and-White Coalition and it was the party’s decision to refuse the offer.
However, Drajad said that PAN would not inhibit any cadre to join Jokowi’s Cabinet, as long as he or she was not from the party’s central executive board. Drajad was optimistic that his party would balance the power outside of Jokowi-Kalla cabinet.
Deputy Research and Development Head at the Functional Group Party (Golkar), Ali Muchtar Ngabalin, echoed similar opinion as saying that Golkar would not join the government.
“It would be better if we balance the power outside the government with the Red-and-White Coalition,” Ali said.
Maruarar Sirait, Central Executive Board Chairman at the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said his party would welcome any member of Red-and-White coalition to join the cabinet. He predicted that the political map would change in October.
AMRI MAHBUB
