The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has been promised the most seats in the 2019 to 2024 Cabinet. This gives PDI-P a big responsibility for the success of the government.
DENPASAR, KOMPAS — The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has a great responsibility for the success of the administration in the 2019 to 2024 term. The reason is because President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has promised to grant PDI-P chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri\'s request for the most Cabinet seats for her party’s members.
In order to meet that responsibility, it is not enough for PDI-P to only prepare members who have competence and integrity. The people to be proposed for the Cabinet and other positions must also have a clear commitment to the ideology of Pancasila.
"PDI Perjuangan will definitely get the highest number of ministers. I guarantee it," said President Jokowi in a speech at the opening of the fifth PDI-P Congress in Denpasar, Bali, on Thursday (8/8/2019).
During the event, Jokowi sat flanked by Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Megawati. On the other side of Megawati, there sat vice president-elect for the 2019 to 2024 term, Ma\'ruf Amin, and the general chairperson of the Gerindra Party, Prabowo Subianto.
Besides them, those present included House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Bambang Soesatyo, Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Chairman Oesman Sapta Odang, political party leaders and a number of Cabinet ministers.
Besides mentioning Prabowo\'s name several times, in her speech Megawati also stated that she refused for PDI-P to only get four seats in the next Cabinet.
At present, PDI-P has four members in Cabinet. They are Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani, Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly and Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Puspayoga. Another PDI-P member, Pramono Anung, serves as Cabinet secretary, whose position is at a ministerial level.
"If later Pak Jokowi, there must the ministers [from PDI-P], there must be a lot because we have been the winner twice. Is that right or not? Watch, yes. Of course. Of course, yes. […] I think because PDI-P has already won a lot, it has been in the DPR, it has been everywhere. [If Jokowi says] I\'ll give you only four later, I don’t want it. I don’t want it. I don\'t want it," said Megawati, whose words were welcomed by the applause of the congress participants.
PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto said the issue of the position of ministers and appointed figures would not be discussed in detail during the PDI-P congress. The problem would be conveyed directly by Megawati to Jokowi.
According to Hasto, the ministerial candidates to be proposed must have the capacity to translate Trisakti, namely political sovereignty, economic independence and cultural personality.
The director of Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting, Sirojudin Abbas, said that the people to be offered by Megawati to sit in the Cabinet would not be enough if they only prioritize competence, let alone closeness with the PDI-P’s elite circle. The people being proposed must also have a clear commitment to the ideology of Pancasila and be able to popularize the values of Pancasila.
"The concrete form of popularizing the values of Pancasila can be done through policies that Jokowi will carry out in this second period," said Sirojudin.
Commitment to the ideology of Pancasila is important, Sirojudin added, because now there are symptoms that extremism and radicalism are developing.
Open ideology
In her speech, Megawati also mentioned the importance of strengthening the ideology of Pancasila. She said Pancasila is an open ideology, the presence of which can be felt by the people in the form of welfare and social justice. Therefore, she said, it is time for Pancasila to be implemented in national development policies in all fields of life. "I also emphasize that Pancasila is an ideology, the way of life of the Indonesian people. Don\'t debate it again," she said.
On Thursday, Megawati was officially appointed as the general chairperson of PDI-P for 2019 to 2024.
The discourse for the position of the deputy chairperson or daily chairman, which had appeared before the congress and was referred to as part of the regeneration process in PDI-P, was apparently not included in the draft of the articles of association (AD/ART) of PDI-P.
PDI-P politician Arief Wibowo, who is involved in assessing the draft of the AD/ART, said that the general chairperson has two main functions, an ideological and strategic political function and an administrative function. To carry out these two functions, the general chairperson is to be assisted by many members. Therefore, it is not possible to discuss the position of the daily chairperson or deputy chairperson in the AD/ART draft. ( REK/ NTA/ NIA/ COK/AGE)