TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Two weeks ago, at his office in City Hall, which reporters often refer to as "the Jakarta governor's palace”, Joko Widodo said something that encapsulated his basic character. "I'm a fighter," he told Tempo two weeks ago, in a 90-minute interview.
With his scrawny figure, relaxed posture and serene face, Jokowi, who will be sworn in as the nation's next president, is not one's conventional image of a fighter. To some people, he is nothing more than an overconfident upstart. That may be. His career has moved upwards in leaps and bounds, in a matter of just one decade, exactly what a fighter would do.
Jokowi admits his victory in the recent election-validated by the Constitutional Court following protests-was no easy feat. "I want all my ministers, everyone working in the team, never to refuse hard work, never say no to a fight," he explained. He has prepared a number of strategies to lead his government.
The most crucial one will be how to form a clean cabinet. "If I'm afraid of anything at all, it would be of people who are clean," explaining his reasons for picking nothing but the best. He has combined his experiences as a businessman and later as city mayor and a provincial governor to find the right people. He admits to being aware of the economic, political and social realities in making strategic decisions. "I don't want people who come with nebulous programs. I want concrete programs that can be applied immediately, have a target and a definite deadline," he said, of his ideal cabinet.
For the first three months, the Jokowi-Kalla government will focus on people-oriented programs, like those he initiated, among them the Healthy Indonesia Card, the Smart Indonesia Card and the cash assistance program to replace the loss or reduction of the fuel subsidy. Another priority will be the establishment of a sea toll. The shortage of funds would initially be daunting but Jokowi is optimistic the massive cost can be covered by increased state revenues, such as from taxes.
Justification for the reconstruction of the cabinet has been to make it more effective. For instance, the Ministry for Food Sovereignty will be a merger between the ministries of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Fisheries. In addition, there will be a ministry to handle maritime issues. "We will try to get the cabinet to work right after the inauguration," said Jokowi.
The interview with Tempo reporters Ananda Teresa, Agustina Widiarsi. Elik Susanto and Hermien Y. Kleden took place two weeks ago, and it was Jokowi's last meeting with the media in the 'governor's palace' before his move to the State Palace.
Do you plan to announce your cabinet after the inauguration?
I will do that as soon as possible. It can be right after the inauguration or a day after that.
What will it be like?
I have said this repeatedly: we will build a working cabinet. It should already be operational, no longer a concept, a topic of discussion or a macro program.
For example?
If we speak about food sovereignty, how should it operate, by selecting rice or corn? What will be the target and how can we achieve self-sufficiency.
But are programs ready to be implemented? You said you wanted to start working immediately.
We are already into the details. When we discuss irrigation, how many kilometers can be built in a year. That's already pretty detailed. The ministers' targets must be clear. I will set the target and they (the ministers) must figure out what methods to do it and how to reach the target, and then to report it me.
Will the ministers be expected to work on their first day?
Of course. They knew when we measured them during the test.
How do you measure and test ministers?
Just test them. You present them with a problem. We import rice and the shortage is so and so amount, yet we have only so many hectares of land. In one year, we must produce so many tons of rice. How would you do it? If the answer is academic, well he or she won't make it.
How can you can measure a person just after a few meetings?
We meet only once. But I know how to do it. After all, we also have his records.
How difficult is it to find a candidate that fits your conditions?
Very difficult. There are many intelligent ones but those with originality and character are not easy to find.
Must your ministers also be fighters?
Of course. With conditions as they are now, they must change. They will need to relate with the DPR, they will be summoned. Even if they're smart but they are not able to relate with the legislations, well, what would be the point?
Is there an age limit?
No. I don't care about young or old, man or woman
What about the political reality?
That's what we need to take into consideration.
Can you be more explicit?
So far, we haven't seen much of anything. But when something does come up, we really need to consider that. That's the way it is.
Where will Megawati Soekarnoputri, Surya Paloh and Wiranto stand in the government?
I figure they don't want to be in the cabinet. If their function is to provide advice, then they should be in the Wantimpres (Presidential Advisory Council).
Could a political party chairman become a minister?
This is what I say. It's hard enough to manage a party, let alone the additional burden of a ministry. Can they do it? Would they function properly? [If they want to be minister] they should not be chairman, they can be a non-active official, or whatever.
You're saying there is a strict line that cannot be crossed, that ministers must be totally free of party interests.
That should be clear enough. Look whatever inputs from or to party chiefs will always be questioned. I could ask Surya Paloh, Ibu Mega because they are my seniors. But such communication would be seen as if I was being dictated. So, it just can't be. (*)
Read the full interview in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine
