Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Executive members of political parties in coalition with President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party will remain strong potential candidates for the next Cabinet, experts predict.
University of Indonesia political expert Fachry Ali said there were only few professionals from the party who were eligible to run "technical" ministerial posts. "Party executives should be posted in non-technical ministerial seats," he said.
The former and current chairman of the PKS, Hidayat Nurwahid and Tifatul Sembiring, were strong ministerial candidates in the next Cabinet, Fachry said.
"Economist Zulkiefliemasyah, a member of the PKS, is one ministerial candidate eligible for a technical post, such as the ministry of industry," he said.
Hidayat, who was also the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker, could be nominated as the coordinating minister for people's welfare.
The PKS is currently the only coalition party which has unveiled plans to propose names of ministerial candidates to Yudhoyono.
Fachry said that from the PAN, economists Didik Rahbini and Drajat Wibowo were strong potential candidates who could work professionally in their jobs despite their link to the party.
"The party's secretary-general, Zulkifli Hassan, who is also a businessman, could be potential candidate in addition to the incumbent State Secretary/Minister Hatta Radjasa," he said. The leaders of the PPP, Suryadharma Ali and Bachtiar Chamsyah, still had big chances to be reappointed in the next Cabinet for political reasons, Fachry said.
"I strongly recommend Suharso Monoarfa, who is now a legislator from the PPP, as a Cabinet minister," he said.
From the National Awakening Party, potential ministers are still political appointees such as its chairman, Muhaimin Iskandar.
Yudhoyono has earlier said he would pick professionals with both party and non-party backgrounds for his next ministers.
The Democratic Party had also invited other parties, including the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to join the next Cabinet.
"If Aburizal Bakrie is elected Golkar chairman, it is highly likely the party will join the government," Indo Barometer research executive director Mohammad Qodari said.
Aburizal could offer his campaigning team head, Idrus Marham, as a ministerial candidate to Yudhoyono, he said.
"There are also a numbers of 'old cadres' from the Golkar party who may potentially become ministers, including Muladi, Theo L. Sambuaga and Firman Subagyo," he said.
Qodari said the PDI-P were also likely to join the cabinet. "The PDI-P could nominate the party's secretary-general, Pramono Anung, Megawati Soekarnoputri's daughter Puan Maharani and party member Tjahyo Kumolo for ministerial posts," he said.