Political party leaders are now focusing on consolidating internal power and getting their share of power. It has been reported that President Joko Widodo will evaluate the structure of his Cabinet.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS— Lobbying to consolidate internal power and to gain their share of power has become the focus of most political party leaders. This is evident in meetings between political party leaders, including with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and vice president-elect Ma’ruf Amin as well as at internal assemblies among high-level executives, ahead of the inauguration ceremony on 20 Oct.
These activities are seen among both the political parties that backed the Jokowi-Amin presidential campaign and those that backed the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno campaign.
Among the Jokowi-Amin parties, for instance, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has decided to hold its congress on 8-10 Aug. 2019, earlier than originally scheduled for April 2020. The National Awakening Party (PKB) will hold its national congress (muktamar) on 20 Aug. 2019. The Golkar Party, meanwhile, is still debating internally whether to move up the schedule for its national assembly (munas). Some want the assembly to be held in August or September, while others want to stick to the original schedule in December.
Meanwhile, the United Development Party (PPP) is holding its national working assembly (mukernas) in July to determine when to hold the national congress.
Among the Prabowo-Sandiaga parties, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Gerindra plan to hold their national working meetings (rakernas) in August to determine their stances positions for the next five years. Members of the Democratic Party high council are also expected to meet to determine the party stance.
Aditya Perdana, the head of the University of Indonesia Center for Political Studies (Puskapol UI), said on Monday (15/7/2019) in Jakarta that this post-election activity was different from previous election years. Political parties typically held their congress or national assembly several months after the new president was inaugurated.
According to Aditya, the accelerated internal consolidation was likely inseparable from the parties’ interests in negotiating their share of power in the next government, in both the cabinet and other government agencies. Political parties outside the government coalition had similar strategic interests and so must also decide their political stance for the next five years.
“Political parties, especially those in the government coalition, are making efforts at internal consolidation to make it easier for them to be part of the government,” Aditya explained.
PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto said that there was a trend among the Jokowi-Amin parties to try and consolidate internally before the 2019-2024 Cabinet was formed. “This is positive, as the
President wishes to gather all political parties under his vision and mission. This way, by the time the new government is formed, all coalition parties will have given their solid support so the government will be more effective,” he said.
Hasto said that he did not deny that the parties might have their own interests in consolidating internally, such as ensuring that their members are appointed cabinet seats. However, he stressed that President Jokowi would still have the final say.
Jokowi would soon be meeting with the party leaders in his coalition. Hasto said that discussing ministerial posts and other government positions would be a priority at that meeting.
Separately, Gerindra deputy chair Sodiq Mudjahid said that the party would possibly remain in the opposition, so it could maintain the party’s grassroots voters and consistent party platform on several issues.
Cabinet structure
Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko said that the Jokowi-Kalla Cabinet might be evaluated, and it was possible that the cabinet structure and the names of ministries could change in Jokowi’s second and final term. “The President will evaluate which ministries and agencies could be merged. Other new [agencies] might be created,” he said.
The current Cabinet has 34 ministries, with four coordinating ministers.
Regarding the appointment of ministers and government agency heads, Moeldoko said that President Jokowi had welcomed the political parties in his coalition to propose candidates. The parties now must wait patiently for Jokowi’s decision as president-elect. (NTA/AGE)