Airlangga Claims Not To Know Democratic Issues Enter Jokowi's Cabinet

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto admitted that he had not heard about the issue that said the Democrat Party would get a ministerial position in the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet.

"Wow, no, we haven't heard about it yet," said Airlangga when responding to questions about the news that the Democratic Party would join the government cabinet as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 24.

Asked about the cabinet reshuffle plan ('reshuffle') this week. Airlangga, who is also the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, said he had not received direct information or a briefing from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"Nothing, don't know yet," he said.

President Jokowi on Tuesday morning revealed the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle this week. In this cabinet reshuffle, Jokowi confirmed that he would appoint a definitive agriculture minister to replace Syahrul Yasin Limpo who resigned because he was caught in a corruption case.

"Maybe this week ('reshuffle')," Jokowi said when asked when the cabinet was reshuffle.

When asked by reporters whether the new minister of agriculture would come from the Democratic Party, Jokowi did not give a statement. Jokowi only nodded his head while passing by leaving reporters.

Jokowi, on Monday (23/10), met with the Chairman of the Democratic Party Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta. Jokowi called his meeting with AHY a regular friendship.

"Talking about the things we usually talk about meeting the party," said Jokowi.

The position of minister of agriculture was vacant after Syahrul Yasin Limpo resigned on October 5, 2023 because he was caught in a case of alleged corruption at the Ministry of Agriculture. Jokowi then appointed the Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi as Acting Minister of Agriculture in the midst of the challenge of El Nino's weather which caused drought and reduced rice production.