Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held a closed-door meeting with heads of coalition political parties, except for the Golkar Party and PKS, amid problems within the government coalition and talks about a possible Cabinet reshuffle.
On Tuesday Yudhoyono accused "one or two parties in the coalition" of violating commitments agreed by the coalition members. Observers believed the President was referring to Golkar and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which took a different stance to another four members of the coalition on the inquiry committee to probe the tax mafia.
Presidential special staffer on political affairs Daniel Sparringa said the reshuffle would be based on cohesion of the coalition and the performance report of the ministers. "Party ministers have been informed to make them aware of the complexity of the situation," Daniel told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
The reshuffle was expected to take place this month after Yudhoyono received a reply from party heads confirming their final say on whether to remain in the coalition or not.
"I would not be surprised if Yudhoyono sent an important message to leaders of parties in a letter," Daniel said.
Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum confirmed not all party heads in the coalition attended the meeting at the Presidential Palace complex. He said the meeting was to discuss the fate of the coalition. PKS president Luthfie Hasan Ishaaq said as quoted by detik.com that he was not aware about the meeting.
A source close to the President told the Post that Yudhoyono would likely oust PKS from the coalition and its minister seats would be offered to other parties such as the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).
The PKS has four seats in the Cabinet: Communications and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring, Agriculture Minister Suswono, Research and Technology Minister Suharna Surapranata and Social Services Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri.
PKS secretary-general Anis Matta said it would become opposition once PKS was ousted. "Yudhoyono asked us to join the coalition in June 2008 because at that time [his] electability was lower than [Megawati Soekarnoputri]," Anis told reporters on Wednesday. "We took a high level of risk when we decided to support him. If now he wants us out, then by all means."
The Post's source said Yudhoyono would keep Golkar in the coalition because the party had permission to take a different position in the inquiry committee to probe the tax mafia. However, Golkar ministers may experience a shake up, the source said.
Golkar has three ministers: Coordinating Public Welfare Minister Agung Laksono, Industry Ministry M.S. Hidayat and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad.
Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, also National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman, visited the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri on Tuesday night. He met with her husband, Taufiq Kiemas, and their daughter, Puan Maharani, after failing to meet Megawati herself.
Deputy secretary-general of the United Development Party (PPP), Romahurmuziy, said the reshuffle would depend on whether the PDI-P would receive the offer. The coalition consisted of the Democratic Party, Golkar, PKS, PAN, National Awakening Party (PKB) and PPP.