As A New Friend Of The Coalition Supporting The Government, PAN Is Considered To Secure A Ministerial Seat If A Reshuffle Occurs

JAKARTA - The National Mandate Party (PAN) is considered to have secured one ministerial seat if a reshuffle or reshuffle of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet occurs. This assessment came after the party created by Zulkifli Hasan took part in a meeting between President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his coalition of supporters at the State Palace on Wednesday, August 25 yesterday.

The participation of PAN in the meeting between President Jokowi and the general chairmen of the coalition parties supporting his government was conveyed by the Secretary General of the PDI-P Hasto Kristiyanto. He said his party welcomed the presence of Zulkifli Hasan as the General Chair of PAN along with his secretary general, Eddy Soeparno.

"The presence of Mr. Zulkifli Hasan and Bung Eddy Soeparno as the General Chair and Secretary General of PAN further proves how mutual cooperation is put forward and present," Hasto said in a written statement to reporters.

He said the presence of PAN gave positive energy in the consolidation of the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin government. Moreover, from the meeting the optimism in strengthening democracy increased.

"From the dialogue between political parties with President Jokowi, apart from strengthening optimism, it is also a good tradition in Pancasila democracy," said Hasto.

Not only considered as a positive energy provider, PAN is also referred to as a new friend of the government coalition by the Secretary General of the NasDem Party, Johnny G Plate. He hopes that the presence of PAN can enrich new views and ideas to continue the government and fill Indonesia's democracy.

"A new friend of the coalition, Chairman of the PAN Mr. Zulkifli Hasan who was accompanied by Secretary General Eddy Soeparno. Our new friend in the coalition is strengthening and enriching ideas and views as well as new ideas in order to continue the government and fill democratization in Indonesia," he said.

During the meeting, Johnny said that Zulhas had expressed his views. However, he denied that the meeting also discussed a reshuffle, widening the coalition or adding cabinet members.

According to him, the meeting is a form of political cooperation in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. "So that we can produce policies quickly, precisely, and efficiently. Do not let stuttering in policies," said Plate.

"We hope that after PAN joins there will be more diverse ideas for the running of the government," he added.

Johnny could have argued if there was no talk of a reshuffle not at the meeting. However, the Executive Director of Indonesia Political Review, Ujang Komarudin, assessed that PAN had succeeded in securing a ministerial seat after becoming part of the coalition supporting the government.

"If PAN really becomes part of the government coalition, it is possible that PAN will get a position. It is possible that in the future there could be a reshuffle to accommodate one minister from PAN," Ujang told VOI via a short message.

He also thinks that the presence of PAN, which is said to bring new winds, will not happen, but the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin government will certainly be stronger with the presence of his new best friend.

In addition, Ujang also considers the presence of PAN not to be rejected because political parties are currently conducting an assessment ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election (Pilpres).

"Maybe they refused in the past. But they could now accept it because Jokowi's coalition parties have also played their respective roles to face the upcoming elections," he concluded.