Jakarta – The names of political party elites who President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono may appoint to fill slots in his next Cabinet have begun to circulate.
The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), for example, says Yudhoyono should appoint its former president, Hidayat Nur Wahid, to chair a ministerial post in the next Cabinet.
"I truly hope Hidayat is chosen to be one of the ministers," PKS president Tifatul Sembiring said at Hotel Century in Senayan, South Jakarta, as quoted by Antara on Sunday. "I hope Hidayat is named the next coordinating minister for people's welfare," Titaful said.
Hidayat deserved a position in the Cabinet because of his previous experience, he said. "Pak Hidayat was not selected to become the vice president, nor to regain his chairmanship at the People's Consultative Assembly [MPR], so I think he deserves a significant, honorable post."
Earlier, the media had speculated that Tifatul himself would be one of the ministers Yudhoyono appoints for the next Cabinet. Tifatul was said to become either the next forestry minister or information and communication minister.
Commenting on the rumors, Tifatul said that while he regarded them as "unproven" he would gladly embrace such an opportunity and would do the best he could if Yudhoyono appointed him.
Separately, PKS deputy secretary-general Zulkieflimansyah told The Jakarta Post his party would like to be given ministerial posts that had greater influence in public issues. "However, we cannot disclose what those posts are, because our other coalition partners could set their eyes on them as well," he said.
Yudhoyono's bloc consists of his Democratic Party, the PKS, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP). However, he seems to have had two new additions, namely the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie said he would drive his party to support the government, while PDI-P chief patron Taufiq Kiemas said he would allow any member from his party to be named ministers.
Golkar's previous chairman, Jusuf Kalla, and Taufiq's wife, PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, were Yudhoyono's rivals during the July presidential election.
The possible inclusion of a PDI-P member was hinted by Democratic Party secretary-general Marzuki Alie during a friendly gathering with reporters at the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Marzuki, who is also the House speaker, said he suspected that one of his deputies, Pramono Anung, from the PDI-P, would only spend one month in his new post at the House. "I believe Pak Pramono will be transferred to another post in the near future," Marzuki said, while Pramono responded only with a smile.
Local media has speculated that Pramono could be named as the energy and mineral resources minister. Aside from Pramono, Taufiq's daughter, Puan Maharani, has also been said to become either the women's affairs minister or the social affairs minister.
Meanwhile, one of the Democratic Party central board chairmen, Ruhut Sitompul, said Yudhoyono would maintain a fair representation of non-partisans and partisans in his next cabinet.
"The proportion is 50-50. As for the partisans, it is logical for us to have the most posts because of our status as the winner of the general elections," he said.
Ruhut Sitompul's colleague at the party, Sutan Batugana, said recently that one of the party's executives to be named minister was Syarief Hassan.
House Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum is also rumored to be named as the next youth and sport affairs minister.
Each party in the coalition could receive only two posts at most, said Burhanuddin Muhtadi, a political analyst from the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI).
"PKS could be given three posts to compensate for Hidayat's loss; PKB and PPP would only receive two posts. PAN could receive two posts, but one of them would be an important coordinating minister post," Burhanuddin said.
"That post would be chaired by Hatta Radjasa, who played a vital role in Yudhoyono's victory during the election. Golkar and PDI-P would only be given two less-significant posts to prevent political jealousy from Yudhoyono's original partners." (hdt)