Reading President Jokowi's Motives In Collaborating With AHY To The Cabinet

President Joko Widodo together with Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Hadi Tjahjanto and Minister of ATR/BPN Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono after the inauguration at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (21/2/2024). (Between)

JAKARTA Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) admitted that his appointment as Minister of Agrarian Spatial Planning/Head of the National Defense Agency (ATR/BPN) was sudden. Whether by chance or not, the joining of the leader of the Democratic Party to the government of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) coincided with the issue of the use of the right of inquiry in the DPR.

Jokowi officially inaugurated AHY as Minister of ATR/BPN on Wednesday (21/2/2024), replacing Hadi Tjahjanto at the State Palace. On the same day, Hadi was founded as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs replacing Mahfud MD, who resigned last month. The issue of AHY's appointment had actually accelerated the day before.

But for some circles, the appointment of AHY is considered too hasty. Moreover, as is known together, the Democratic Party has not been involved in the government for the past decade. No wonder this decision then raises a question mark, is there a specific purpose behind the appointment of AHY as Minister of ATR/BPN?

The inauguration of AHY by Jokowi occurred when the issue of the right of inquiry in the DPR rolled fast over the past week. Presidential candidate number three, Ganjar Pranowo, who first encouraged his supporting party, PDIP, to roll out the right to inquiry.

The reason is the alleged fraud in the 2024 General Election which occurred in a structured, systematic and massive manner.

"This is a matter related to the Minister of ATR/BPN Mas Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono. We know he is the chairman of the Democratic Party, he is also an alumni of the Military Academy, also an education at Nanyang University, at Harvard University, at Webster University," Jokowi said regarding his reasons for appointing AHY to become Minister of ATR.

Jokowi is fine with revealing this reason as a consideration, especially inaugurating AHY. But in politics every move, every step, often has another meaning.

Some say this is compensation for Democrats, who joined the Advanced Indonesia Coalition to support the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka pair in the 2024 presidential election yesterday.

The Executive Director of NUSANTRA INSTITUTE PolComm SRC Andriadi Achmad admitted that he was not too surprised by AHY's presence in Jokowi's cabinet. According to him, AHY's desire to join Jokowi's government has been going on for a long time, especially after the 2019 presidential election.

"However, it was hindered by the blessing of Megawati who did not want the Democrats to join the Jokowi coalition and cabinet Amen Ma'ruf," Andriadi said when contacted by VOI.

The feud between PDIP General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the 2004 presidential election hindered this possibility.

The division between Jokowi and Megawati in the 2024 presidential election, and the Democratic decision to leave the Change Coalition to join the Forward Indonesia Coalition which supports Prabowo-Gibran, according to Andriadi, is a strong signal that the Democrats are in line with Jokowi.

"So, it's only natural that when Mahfud MD resigns, there is a vacant ministerial seat, it is the Democratic Party that will be presented so that it will strengthen itself in the ranks of the Advanced Indonesia Coalition," added the lecturer at Al Azhar University Indonesia.

The joining of Democrats to government can be seen from another point of view. Not only because the relationship between Jokowi and Megawati has been heating up recently, but there are other goals that are bigger than just reconciliation.

This was said by a political observer from Al Azhar University Indonesia, Ujang Komarudin. According to him, Jokowi has a motive to dispel attacks against political opponents, including those who want to roll out the right of inquiry, by placing AHY in his cabinet.

Not only that, Ujang also said that this further confirms the political map that will be built in the future. He reads the direction of PDIP which will be more persistent outside the government, because his relationship with SBY has not yet melted.

And, it is not impossible that the appointment of AHY could also be an initial guarantee for Democrats to get other ministerial positions in the future Prabowo-Gibran government.

Meanwhile, Director of Indonesian Political Parameters (PPI) Adi Prayitno said that the appointment of AHY as minister emphasized that politics in Indonesia was very fluid, so it could quickly change from opponent to friend.

Apart from being a compensation for the support of Democrats and AHY in the 2024 presidential election, the offer to become a minister is difficult to refuse because this is one way to orbit AHY to take care of his future political career. So, it is not impossible that he will return to become a minister in the Prabowo-Gibran era.

"Minister is a moment to prove whether AHY deserves to be a candidate for national leader or not," said Adi.