Jakarta – Middle-ranking officials from the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Golkar reiterated on Saturday that they had no plans to jump ship from Prabowo's Subianto's permanent coalition to join Joko Widodo's government.

The deputy head of research at Golkar, Ali Muchtar Ngabalin, said Golkar would be a check and balance against Joko over the next five years. "We choose to stay outside Jokowi's cabinet," he said on Saturday. "It is important that people think well of us as a balance to the government."

The question of Golkar joining Jokowi remains unanswered, but the party of former strongman Suharto has never been in opposition, and analysts are dubious of whether the party has any desire to change that track record. Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie continues to hold sway over the party, but it is understood that the knives are out for Bakrie.

Ali sought to play down talk of a rift within the party. "Golkar is a part of the Merah Putih coalition," he said. "It might seem that our party is shaken, but we're still solid internally." PAN deputy chairman Drajad Wibowo echoed Ali's sentiment, pointing to the need for constructive opposition.

"Do not look at it as a clash between the executive and the legislature," he said. "No, the opposition will correct the government's decisions because not all will be correct. We can rectify things from the parliament."

PAN's Drajad and Golkar's Ali have had to address widespread speculation that the Constitutional Court's dismissal of Prabowo Subianto's election appeal last week had put the writing on the wall for the coalition. "There are rumors saying that we are leaving," Drajad said. "The truth is that we met after the Constitutional Court ruling and we are very solid."

Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political researcher Siti Zuhro said the coalition was far from solid. She believes a least two parties will join Jokowi's government.

"[The United Development Party] PPP has not been united since the first time they joined [the coalition]," she said. "They have endured internal conflict from the beginning because of their leadership issues."

Meanwhile, officials in Jokowi's Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) remain convinced that the sands will shift. "Every party will envision its own position in the future," PDI-P senior politician Maurarar Sirait said. "That is why we do not give out extreme statements that can later change. The political constellation will change before October."

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/red-white-coalition-still-intact-golkar-pan-insist/