Jokowi Reportedly Will Reshuffle The Minister, Observers Are Sure Candidates Are Still From Political Parties

JAKARTA - The issue of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will reshuffle the Indonesian Cabinet. Advancing in the near future is increasingly sounding gloomy. In fact, it is reported that President Jokowi will conduct a reshuffle at the earliest next week.

The reshuflle issue arose because Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo and Minister of Social Affairs Juliari Batubara were arrested by the KPK. Both Edhy and Juliari are now detained at the KPK. Thus, these two ministerial seats were vacant.

A political observer from Al Azhar University Indonesia (UAI), Ujang Komarudin, said that the two ministerial seats would not fall into the hands of professionals. But still from a political party.

"The opportunity for a minister to be professional remains. However, it is very small. The probability is very small. There is a small possibility of the two ministerial posts. Because the two ministries are rationed by political parties," Ujang told VOI, Sunday, December 20.

The reason, said Ujang, was that Jokowi would protect the government coalition that had already been formed. So, those who will be appointed as ministers will come from PDIP and Gerindra.

The coalition is still maintained because Jokowi still needs political assistance from the two major parties. Especially for Gerindra who was successfully collaborated after fighting in the 2019 Presidential Election (Pilpres).

But if the prediction doesn't happen, Ujang said there are other possibilities Jokowi will do during the reshuffle. Later, candidates from the Gerindra party will be placed as ministers in other sectors. Thus, it does not change the 2 seat ministerial quota.

"The worst thing is that Gerindra ministers' quota at the KKP is also shifted to another ministry. However, it does not reduce the two ministers from Gerindra," he said.