IO, Jakarta – DPR member and politician who is also the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Development Party (PPP), Ahmad Baidowi, said that the Jokowi Cabinet has finished its configuration, it’s just not been announced yet. According to him the coalition party which had received the allotment of ministerial posts in the Jokowi’s first period is certain to be re-granted the quota of ministerial posts in Jokowi’s second period. “It has been completed, and rest assured that the KIK (Indonesian Working Cabinet) will definitely get a seat,” he explained in a discussion titled Political Map After the ‘Party’ at the Parliament in Wahid Hasyim, Central Jakarta, Saturday (12/10/2019).
The Chairman of the Board of Central Leadership (DPP) for National Democratic Party (NasDem), Irma Suryani Chaniago, explained that if all political parties were in a coalition government camp, then who would run the “checks and balances” so it was feared to turn into a street parliament. It should have been the basic thinking for political parties to give a discourse to the constituents that commitment must be clear. “The government must not be absolute because it will become authoritarian, that is what we are worried about. We are committed to supporting Jokowi in the next five years because there are five comprehensive programs that must work,” she said.
Therefore, even though there is a change in the political map after the inauguration; with 60-80% of the parties joining the Jokowi government, she hoped that the parliament (DPR) could become the opposition to the government so that the function of ‘checks and balances’ would still be conducted. “In my opinion, the member of parliament must become the government’s internal opposition, while the external opposition is a political party that decides to be outside the government,” she explained.
Meanwhile, A Riza Patria, a member of the House and Chairman of the Gerindra’s Central Executive Committee (DPP), said that there was no permanent composition related to the government coalition. According to him, 60% is also too risky, if on the process there is one party that comes out of the coalition, it can bring down the government. “But if it is 80% it’s also mostly yes,” he said. Even though the parliament is controlled by the political party supporting the Jokowi government, he hopes that the parliament will remain critical in carrying out all of their tasks. “For the best of Gerindra, let us compete in goodness. We shall compete, whether outside or inside. It is not important. What is important is the extent of our commitment, consistency, and contribution to the interests of the nation, the state and the people,” he concluded. (dan)