Pratikno Is Called a 'Silencer' of the Onward Indonesia Cabinet Reshuffle Issue

JAKARTA - Minister of State Secretary (Menesneg), Pratikno, is considered as an extinguisher to reduce the reshuffle issue that will be carried out by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

This was conveyed by a political observer at the University of Paramadina, Hendri Satrio. Pratikno was immediately given the task of exhaling the issue of a cabinet reshuffle that was irrelevant to be discussed. Jokowi didn't want any noise in dismantling the cabinet pairs.

"Mr. Jokowi really didn't want it to be rowdy. So, Pratikno quelled the issue," Hendri said when contacted by VOI, Monday, July 6.

The second possibility, Pratikno was assigned to reduce the reshuffle issue. Because Jokowi still needed a good performance from his ministers and heads of government institutions until the reshuffle was really decided to do.

"If there is a commotion, surely the performance of the ministers will be disturbed. Some of them might think 'Will I be replaced?' So, instead of improving their work, they are more afraid of being replaced," he said.

"The president doesn't want it. So Mr. Pratik (Pratikno, red) statement was issued. Then, everything would be calmer and Mr. Jokowi could work better," he added.

Previously, Pratikno spoke up about the issue of the reshuffle that blew after President Jokowi claimed to be disappointed with his ministers who didn't work optimally during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Pratikno, Jokowi was angry and want his aides to improve their performance. Not because he wanted to do a cabinet reshuffle.

He even claimed the minister's performance had improved significantly after Jokowi scolded his ministers during a plenary cabinet meeting. So he considered, the issue of a reshuffle or cabinet reshuffle was no longer relevant.

"The hard reprimand was carried out quickly by the cabinet. This is good progress. So if the progress is good, why do you reshuffle. With good progress, this issue of the reshuffle is irrelevant," Pratikno told reporters in Jakarta, Monday, July 6.

He hopes that his colleagues in the Onward Indonesian Cabinet can continue to maintain their performance. "There's no need to be reshuffled if the progress of the cabinet is going well," he said.

"We focus on solving health problems and economic problems that have become extraordinary in the COVID-19 pandemic," he concluded.