Dismissing Un Harmonious Ministerial Relations, Palace: No Election Ease During Cabinet Meetings

JAKARTA - Presidential Special Staff Coordinator Ari Dwipayana stated that there was no atmosphere related to the 2024 General Election or Presidential Election when President Joko Widodo held a meeting with the ministers.

"If we know that the ministers who come from the background of political parties are also diverse and that's the atmosphere, there is absolutely no election atmosphere in that work," Ari said when quoted by ANTARA, Monday, January 22.

Ari denied the news that there was discomfort between ministers in the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet, as the mass media reported.

According to him, the ministers focused on working and assisting President Jokowi in government administration, both at cabinet meetings, plenary sessions, and internal meetings. Everything was discussed on the table in one room with the president and all ministers, both technical ministers and political parties.

Therefore, this condition should be emphasized because ministers from various political parties can ignore their political differences to focus on completing programs in the last year.

"So, political differences are not discussed at all, they are not disturbing the working atmosphere that occurs. They are comfortable and can even communicate, stay in touch with each other," said Ari.

On the previous occasion, President Joko Widodo had also responded to the news that some ministers, including Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, were ready to withdraw from the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet.

"We charge the minister every day (limited meeting), every day internal meetings, every day with all ministers or with some ministers," said President Jokowi when met after attending the 78th Anniversary of NU Muslimat at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta, last Saturday.

The President emphasized that every day he held an internal meeting with ministers from morning to night and did not encounter any problems.

"Yes, from whom? Our Wong from morning to evening, morning and evening, we have plenary meetings, internal meetings, limited meetings, there has always been no pause. Every hour, every two hours we change meetings, there are no problems with changing ministers," said Jokowi.

According to the President, the news circulating about the minister resigning included matters related to politics considering that he had entered the political month or ahead of the 2024 election democracy party.