Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The Prosperous Justice Party said the Democratic Party was attempting to distract attention from the ongoing Muhammad Nazaruddin scandal by once again raising the specter of a cabinet reshuffle by the president.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono upbraided his cabinet on Thursday, accusing them of failing to carry out even 50 percent of his directives. Some Democratic Party officials have voiced they would support a reshuffle of underperforming ministers.

The party's deputy secretary general, Saan Mustopha, said on Friday that fellow Democrats could understand the president's vocal display of anger during Thursday's cabinet plenary.

"It is better for the president to reshuffle them rather than [let them] become a burden," Saan told the Jakarta Globe.

However, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said the reshuffle idea was merely a tactic to distract the public from the growing graft case in which fugitive Democrat lawmaker Nazaruddin is a prime suspect.

"The reshuffle idea initiated by the Democrats will surely be the new hot and controversial issue but as always, we can't make head or tail of this," PKS deputy secretary general Mahfudz Siddiq said. "I think what will happen is the distraction of issues from the legal case [Nazaruddin's] to a reshuffle," he said.