The cabinet reshuffle is believed to have been the result of political calculations and consolidation ahead of the 2019 general election.
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Kompas/Nina Susilo
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (left) inaugurates new officials in the Work Cabinet at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (17/1). The four new officials are Idrus Marham (second left) as social affairs minister, Moeldoko as presidential chief of staff (center), Agum Gumelar as a Presidential Advisory Council member (second right) and Marshal Yuyu Sutisna as Air Force chief of staff.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Just 15 months before the general election on April 17, 2019, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo reshuffled his cabinet. The reshuffle this time is believed to have been the result of political calculations and consolidation ahead of the 2019 general election.
In the cabinet reshuffle announced on Wednesday (17/1/2018), the President appointed Golkar Party secretary general Idrus Marham as Social Affairs Minister, replacing Khofifah Indar Parawansa who has registered to run in the East Java gubernatorial election.
The President also appointed former military commander Gen. (ret.) Moeldoko as Presidential Chief of Staff, replacing Teten Masduki who was appointed as Presidential Special Staff coordinator. Gen. (ret.) Agum Gumelar was inaugurated as member of the Presidential Advisory Board (Wantimpres) and Air Marshall Yuyu Sutisna was inaugurated as Air Force chief of staff.
Present in the inauguration ceremony were Vice President Jusuf Kalla, a number of state officials and political party heads, including Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.
After the inauguration ceremony at the State Palace in Jakarta, the President said that Khofifah was replaced so that she could put all her focus on the East Java election.
On January 9, Khofifah sent a letter to the President, in which she stated her intent to contest the East Java election and asked for the President’s permission to resign once she was named by the East Java Election Commission (KPUD) as an election candidate. KPU’s official announcement of candidates will be made on February 12, 2018 (Kompas, 10/1).
One year
Regarding Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto who currently also chairs the Golkar Party, the President said that his term as minister would end in just one year. “If I name a new person as minister, he or she will need at least six months to learn the ropes. Now we can see that, in the Industry Ministry, Pak Airlangga clearly understands the concept of our country’s macro industry and can prepare a strategy of industry downstreaming in the future,” the President said.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that there was no problem in Airlangga concurrently serving as Industry Minister and Golkar Party chair. He said that reshuffling the cabinet even further would put the administration in a difficult position. “It is better for us to work in completing our programs and fulfilling our promises. The cabinet must be solid in completing all the work in this last year of our term,” Kalla said.
With the inauguration of Idrus as Social Affairs Minister, Golkar currently has three of its members in the cabinet. The other two Golkar Party members are Airlangga and Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut B Pandjaitan.
PDIP executive Hendrawan Supratikno said that the additional cabinet seats for Golkar should strengthen the government coalition. The additional seats is understandable as Golkar has significantly contributed to the government’s work, both in the executive and legislative branches as a government-supporting party with the second most number of seats in the House of Representatives after PDIP.
“We should not make a fuss about this. The important thing is that the coalition becomes more solidified after the reshuffle. Once everything is solid, everything will get easier, calmer and fuss-free in the future,” he said.
United Development Party (PPP) secretary general Arsul Sani said that he saw the President giving the position of Social Affairs Ministry to Idrus Marham as the President’s way to create a balance after the recent leadership succession in Golkar.
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) researcher Syamsuddin Haris said that Idrus’ appointment as Social Affairs Minister highlighted a honeymoon period between the President and Golkar.
Upon Idrus’ appointment as minister, Golkar Party deputy secretary general Sarmuji said that Idrus would be relieved from his position as the party’s secretary general.
Airlangga University political science lecturer Haryadi said in Surabaya that he deemed the replacement of the Presidential Chief of Staff was aimed to strengthen the body.
