President Jokowi's Opportunity

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

The inauguration of the Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan (left) and the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Deputy Head of the National Land Agency Hadi Tjahjanto (right) by President Joko Widodo at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (15/6/2022). Apart from them, the President also appointed King Juli Antoni as Deputy Minister of ATR/BPN, Wempi Watimpo as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, and Afriansyah Noor as Deputy Minister of Manpower.

Although it may not be the last, the cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday (15/6/2022) is part of the government's remaining opportunity to cope with its challenges.

Although the 2024 election is still about 20 months away, the political ripples have begun to appear, including within the coalition government of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, such as the emergence of the Indonesia Bersatu (United Indonesia) coalition. With this, it seems there is a coalition within the coalition presumably due to the lack of harmonious relations between coalition elites, which is triggered by differences between figures who could be supported in the 2024 general elections.

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In such conditions, a lunch gathering between President Jokowi and the chairmen of the seven parties of the coalition on Wednesday was widely seen as an effort to demonstrate and maintain the solidity of the government coalition.

This interpretation was further strengthened by the appointment of chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan as the Trade minister and former Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Marshal (Ret.) Hadi Tjahjanto as Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning minister/head of the National Land Agency, as well as three deputy ministers.

In fact, efforts to maintain this solidity must continue because the political ripples may continue to emerge as the 2024 general elections draw near.

There is nothing wrong with such an interpretation. Maintaining the solidity of the government is also very important because the challenges faced by the government cannot be ignored. In fact, efforts to maintain this solidity must continue because the political ripples may continue to emerge as the 2024 general elections draw near.

Such a problem is expected to reappear, for example when a number of ministers become candidates for legislative members or candidates for president or vice president in the 2024 election. This situation will at least test their concentration and loyalty as members of the Indonesia Maju (Indonesia Onward) cabinet.

MARINA EKATARI

President Joko Widodo prepares to congratulate Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan (left) and Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Deputy Head of the National Land Agency Hadi Tjahjanto (right) at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (15/6/2022).

The period leading up to the election also requires more commitment from cabinet members not to commit despicable acts, such as corruption, or accepting commissions from the state budget. This commitment is important because as once written by Golkar Party politician, Indra J Piliang, in his book titled Flowing through the Waves: A Critical Memoir of Three Defeats, "Funds are the blood in the veins of politics".

Cabinet members with ability and integrity are urgently needed to answer these challenges.

The challenge of maintaining the cabinet's solidity, now, comes amid rising concern on the global economic condition due to rising food and energy prices, some of which we have already begun to feel. A number of recent surveys show that people really hope that the government will be able to control the price of basic needs, in addition to other things such as overcoming poverty and eradicating corruption. Cabinet members with ability and integrity are urgently needed to answer these challenges.

The last two years of President Jokowi's reign have finally become crucial. The success of responding to the people's expectations, related to the economy and eradicating corruption among other things, as well as in ensuring that the 2024 general elections will be honest, fair and peaceful will become a very valuable legacy of the Indonesia Onward coalition for this nation.

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi)