Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has denied the claim that he has promised to allocate two ministerial posts for the National Mandate Party (PAN) in exchange for the party's support.
Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung stated that the President had not discussed any details related to a Cabinet reshuffle with any political party. "I want to clarify that the President has never talked [about a reshuffle]," said Pramono in Jakarta on Monday as reported by kompas.com.
Previously, PAN deputy chairman Aziz Subekti said his party would receive two ministerial posts as part of Jokowi's upcoming Cabinet reshuffle.
Aziz claimed that he received information about the reshuffle from the State Palace. He further said that his party had prepared Taufik Kurniawan and Asman Abnur to join the Cabinet.
Soon after the election of Zulkifli Hasan as the chairman of PAN, replacing Muhammad Hatta Rajasa, the party expressed its wish to join the ruling coalition and leave the opposition Red and White Coalition (KMP).
"It sounds as though there is an agreement about the appointment of certain names [to become ministers]. But it is not true," Pramono said.
Pramono stressed that the President had the full authority to make the decision to appoint and replace ministers. Pramono called on other parties to respect the President's prerogative and refrain from intervening.
"If there is a reshuffle, it is the authority of the President. Whoever the ministers are to be reshuffled, the President certainly has his own records," said Pramono. (bbn)