Bagus BT Saragih and Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Despite an earlier pact that president-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and vice president-elect Jusuf Kalla would not offer ministerial posts to their allies in return for support in the presidential election, political parties have come up with names they would offer for the new Cabinet.
Jokowi and Kalla admitted they had been thinking about their Cabinet ahead their inauguration in October, a process deemed as the pair's first herculean task after their election.
Reiterating their commitment to forming a clean government, however, both Jokowi and Kalla have said they are open to the possibility of recruiting politicians to the Cabinet. "There will be no dichotomy between politician and non-politician. Figures from political parties can also be good professionals," Jokowi said over the weekend.
The Jakarta governor highlighted that he wanted candidates with strong leadership and managerial skills to fill the ministerial posts. "The next ministers must also be those who have the spirit to serve the people, not the other way around," he said.
Responding to his statements, leaders of political parties supporting the Jokowi-Kalla ticket claimed they would nominate their members to the pair as potential ministers.
"We are preparing around five to 10 figures [to be nominated as ministers]. The final say will be in their hands [Jokowi and Kalla]," Muhaimin Iskandar, the chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) which supported the ticket, said.
Refusing to disclose the nominees, the manpower and transmigration minister indicated that he was also eager to serve as a minister again.
Other PKB members touted as potential ministerial candidates were senior leader of the country's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), and former minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa; PKB secretary-general and lawmaker Imam Nachrowi; lawmaker Marwan Jafar; Disadvantaged Regions Minister Ahmad Helmy Faisal Zaini; as well as PKB deputy chairman and Lion Air group president director Rusdi Kirana.
Surya Paloh, chairman of the NasDem Party, another party in the coalition, also acknowledged that the party would nominate some of its members. "We still have time. This coalition is non-conditional," Surya said, refusing to elaborate further.
Similarly, Hanura Party chairman Gen. (ret.) Wiranto indicated the party would also nominate candidates but refused to name names. "If some of the parties supporting Jokowi-Kalla get ministerial posts, it would not be considered compensation [for the party's support for the ticket]. I believe Hanura has professional members whose quality and competence meet Jokowi-Kalla's criteria," he said.
Among NasDem members who have been dubbed as potential ministers are lawmaker Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, party executive Jeffrie Geovanie, lawmaker Akbar Faisal and party secretary-general Patrice Rio Capella.
Possible nominees from Hanura, meanwhile, include businessman and former lawmaker Yuddy Chrisnandi.
Pol-Tracking Institute executive director Hanta Yuda said it would be practically impossible to avoid including political party members in Jokowi's Cabinet.
"What Jokowi and Kalla can do is ensure that their ministers are full-time professionals, regardless of their political affiliation," he said. "Therefore, any politicians in the next Cabinet must resign from their structural positions in their respective parties," Hanta added.
Jokowi-Kalla volunteer teams are currently absorbing people's aspirations via online polls. Jokowi admitted the polls would be crucial in helping him and Kalla name their Cabinet members.
"We will take public participation into considerable account. There are also many other methods we are using to 'head-hunt' potential ministers," Jokowi said.
Lawmaker Poempida Hidayatullah, Kalla's spokesman, said that political parties could not pressure Jokowi and Kalla. "Thanks to the initial non-transactional commitments made when the coalition was formed, Jokowi and Kalla will be able to name their ministers freely and according to their criteria, without interference," he said.