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Cabinet Reshuffle: Economic Recovery, For Cake Or Coalition Guide?

Aboe Bakar Alhabsyi/Photo: Antara
JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo has inaugurated two new names to replace the ministers who were removed during a cabinet reshuffle at the State Palace, Wednesday, June 15. First, the General Chair of PAN Zulkifli Hasan as the Minister of Trade replacing Muhammad Luthfi.

Second, former TNI Commander Marshal (Ret.) Hadi Tjahjanto was inaugurated as Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) replacing Sofyan Djalil who had held the position since 2016. . First, PSI Supervisory Board Secretary Raja Juli Antoni was inaugurated as Deputy Minister of ATR/BPN, replacing fellow PSI cadre Surya Tjandra who had held this position since 2019. Then, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) John Wempi Watipo was sworn in as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri) and Secretary General of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) Afriansyah Noor as Deputy Minister of Manpower. Both of them occupied the chair of deputy minister who was still vacant.

Responding to the momentum for the reshuffle of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet, the only opposition party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), assessed that there were several sides that the public might see from the cabinet reshuffle.

First, it is seen that President Jokowi wants to carry out an even faster economic recovery so that there is a change in the Minister of Trade. Meanwhile, the replacement of the Minister of ATR/BPN is likely to accelerate the entry of investment into Indonesia. "Secondly, the public may see this reshuffle as for 'for cake', for those who are already sweating, but so far have not received a portion. This can be seen, there are several leaders the party that gets the position," said PKS Secretary General Aboe Bakar Alhabsyi in his statement, Wednesday, June 15.

Third, the public may see that there is a succession process that Jokowi is preparing for the 2024 election. "It could be that the parties that currently get a share will be included in the coalition that carries Jokowi's successor candidate," he said. As an opposition party, Aboe added, PKS hopes that the government will focus on economic recovery. Therefore, the reshuffle should be used to increase the performance of the cabinet's performance.