PDIP Denies Jokowi's Provocation To Reshuffle NasDem Cadres In The Cabinet

Secretary General of the PDI-P, Hasto Kristiyanto. (VOI-Tsa Tsia)

JAKARTA - The PDI-P (PDIP) has denied provocation to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to remove ministers from the NasDem Party cadre from the cabinet or reshuffle.

This was conveyed by the Secretary General of the PDIP Hasto Kristiyanto in response to the statement of the Chairman of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh, who said that there were parties who pushed NasDem out of the government coalition.

"The PDI-P will never provoke the president," said Hasto, quoted Thursday, October 20.

Hasto said the reshuffle was Jokowi's prerogative as head of state. He said Jokowi had his own considerations in choosing and retaining ministers based on the needs of the government, not based on the whispers of other parties.

"Once again, when it comes to the cabinet, it is the president's right. The decision is in the hands of Mr. Jokowi, with full wisdom and wisdom in making the best decisions for the nation and state," he stressed.

Hasto also denied that the relationship between PDIP and the NasDem Party had deteriorated. PDIP-NasDem was said to be hot and cold after Anies Baswedan was declared a presidential candidate for NasDem 2024. It got even more heated when the NasDem elite Zulfan Lindan called Anies the antithesis of President Jokowi.

He said relations between the two parties are still going well. In fact, the chairman of the PDIP faction, Utut Adianto, is still conducting political communication in the DPR with the chairman of the NasDem Party faction in the DPR.

"We are still going. Pak Utut as the faction leader has already established communication, including with the NasDem Party," said Hasto.

As previously reported, the General Chair of the NasDem Party, Surya Paloh, opened his voice regarding the presence of parties who want their party to leave the coalition of President Jokowi's government. The urge to resign came after NasDem announced that it would carry Anies as its 2024 presidential candidate.

"There are those who say to urge us, ask the President to remove NasDem from the government coalition, that is a challenge, that's what we face," said Surya Paloh in his opening remarks for the 'NasDem Calling' program at NasDem Tower, Menteng, Central Jakarta, Monday, 17 October.

However, Paloh emphasized that NasDem's attitude had not changed from its initial commitment despite these pressures. NasDem, he said, would continue to support the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin government until the end of his term in 2024.

"But has our nature changed? Has our commitment changed? To continue to support the administration of the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin government until the 2024 election, I say we will never change, brothers and sisters," he said.

In fact, Paloh said, NasDem supports the policy of increasing fuel prices as a form of commitment to the Jokowi government. According to him, the policy is correct.