Corruption Cases Become Opportunity for "Reshuffle"
The detention of two ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet is seen as an opportunity for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to overhaul the Cabinet composition.
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Laksana Agung Saputra/Anita Yossihara/Suhartono
·4 minutes read
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo enters a detention car after being examined at the KPK building, Jakarta, Thursday (3/12/2020).
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The detention of two ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet, namely Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo and Social Affairs Minister Juliari P Batubara, by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for alleged bribery and gratification is seen as an opportunity for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to overhaul the Cabinet composition.
In the structural reforms after the enactment of Law No. 11 of 2020 on job creation, hopes for the formation of a strong and courageous economic team to execute the programs and challenges of job creation and improvement of the business climate are driving factors for a Cabinet reshuffle, which is most likely to be carried out after the regional elections on Dec. 9, 2020, or the commencement of Covid-19 vaccination in early 2021.
A number of officials contacted by Kompas since the end of the week confirmed that there was an opportunity for a Cabinet reshuffle after the detention of two ministers and given the need to improve the Cabinet\'s performance in mitigating the Covid-19 pandemic and restoring the economy.
When confirmed on Monday (7/12/2020) in Jakarta, State Secretary Pratikno only smiled. "That is the prerogative of the President. Just wait for the time," he said.
The President has repeatedly said that periodic evaluations are carried out on ministers, including conducting a Cabinet reshuffle if necessary. "The time can be anytime, this week, next month, or next year," he said during an interview with KompasTV recently.
Scraping political calculation
So, it would be too bad if this opportunity for a reshuffle was only partially used.
Charta Politika executive director Yunarto Wijaya said the Indonesia Onward Cabinet had worked for more than a year. Objectively, the President would need to evaluate the performance of his ministers.
According to Yunarto, the public certainly hopes that a Cabinet reshuffle will produce a new Cabinet of much higher quality. Even though there are political considerations, quality must come first. Moreover, now we need a Cabinet that is capable of bringing Indonesia through the pandemic and economic crisis.
"So, it would be too bad if this opportunity for a reshuffle was only partially used. The reshuffle serves at least three purposes, namely quality improvement, an increase in the level of public trust and proving that the President is not trapped in a political cartel,” said Yunarto.
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Social Affairs Minister Affairs Juliari P Batubara wearing a vest of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) after undergoing examination by the KPK investigative team at the KPK\'s Red and White House, Kuningan, Jakarta, on Sunday (6/12/2020).
The process of a Cabinet reshuffle, according to Yunarto, must immediately begin, such as with an announcement preferably at the end of December 2020 or in early January 2021, after the simultaneous regional elections on Dec. 9, 2020.
Paramadina University political communication lecturer Hendri Satrio said the President could actually reshuffle the Cabinet at any time. However, the detention of the two Cabinet members was the right moment for a Cabinet overhaul.
Even though the President has appointed Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan as acting maritime affairs and fisheries minister and Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy as acting social affairs minister, the public still hopes the Cabinet will be reshuffled.
"There are two reasons for Pak Jokowi to consider a comprehensive Cabinet reshuffle. The first is related to the public\'s belief that the government is opposed to corruption and the second is the Cabinet\'s messy performance during the Covid-19 pandemic," said Hendri.
Toward the end of his 2014-2019 term, President Jokowi did not reshuffle the Cabinet even though two of his ministers were involved in corruption, namely Social Affairs Minister Idrus Marham and Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi. However, this time, the case seems more pressing, as two of his ministers were named suspects by the KPK at the beginning of the second term of his 2019-2024 government.
