Several ministers in President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's cabinet are reported to be running as candidates for legislative members in the simultaneous election on 14 Feb. 2024.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN
PAN chairman Zulkifli Hasan, Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto, and PPP general chairman Muhammad Mardiono (from left to right) shaking hands after giving statements to journalists at Airlangga's official residence, Jalan Widya Chandra III, Jakarta, Thursday (27/4/2023).
Trade minister and chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan will be a legislative candidate in the Central Java electoral district. Several other ministers, such as Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah and Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar have also been registered by the National Awakening Party (PKB).
It is also possible that ministers from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the NasDem party will also run as legislative members from their respective parties. The public is still waiting for the list of candidates from each party.
In addition to being legislative candidates, several of Jokowi's ministers have the opportunity to become presidential or vice-presidential candidates, such as Defense Minister and Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto, Coordinating Economics Minister and Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir and Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahudin Uno. They are said to be competing in the 2024 presidential election.
This country always seems to be experimenting with politics. It is unimaginable what kind of campaign tactics the ministers will use when they run as legislative candidates or presidential candidates. They could compete against each other, claim credit for successful programs or negate each other's achievements, even among fellow government officials.
YOSEPHA DEBRINA RATIH PUSPARISA
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu gave an explanation about the legislative candidates for the 2024-2029 period who have been officially registered with the General Elections Commission (KPU), Jakarta, Monday (8/5/2023). There are 580 names of registered members with 35.9 percent of them being women.
Not to mention the controversy that will arise if the NasDem ministers also compete in the legislative election while still being part of President Jokowi's government. NasDem openly supports Anies Baswedan as a presidential candidate in 2024 along with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Democratic Party, all the while, the NasDem ministers de jure are still in President Jokowi's cabinet.
Our political system must be recognized as still problematic. How can we explain why the simultaneous legislative and presidential election in 2024 still uses the 2019 election seat acquisition as a requirement for submitting presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 14 Feb. 2024 election? The 2019 election ticket has already been used in the 2019 election. The maneuvering of ministers who want to become presidential candidates is also becoming narrower with the rules that they have agreed upon themselves, namely the presidential candidacy threshold.
Whatever the rules, they must be obeyed. However, what needs to be considered and anticipated is how the opportunity for ministerial abuse of power can be monitored as best as possible. What will happen to President Jokowi's government when Jokowi's ministers are busy running for legislative seats or competing in the presidential election?
It is advisable that President Jokowi or his ministers also have the courage to ensure the continuity of the government until 20 Oct. 2024. The interests of the people must be the main consideration.
This article was translated by Tenggara Strategics.
