We have prepared our best cadres in accordance with the needs of both the president-elect and vice president-elect, and the cabinet itselfJakarta (ANTARA) - The National Democratic Party (Nasdem) has prepared its best cadres for filling the ministerial berths in the Joko Widodo-Ma'ruf Amin administration's cabinet line-up even though it is fully the duo's prerogative to decide their cabinet. "We have prepared our best cadres in accordance with the needs of both the president-elect and vice president-elect, and the cabinet itself," Chairman of Nasdem's Central Executive Board Taufik Basari said here Wednesday.
So far, his party's elites have yet to hold an official meeting with the incumbent President, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) for talks on the cabinet since the General Elections Commission (KPU) declared him Indonesia's president-elect Sunday, he said.
"A specific meeting for talks about the cabinet line-up has not yet been held but we have informally discussed matters related to how the upcoming government runs," Basari said, adding that the informal discussion was held without involving other coalition parties.
However, there was plenty of time to deliberate the ministerial posts and cabinet issues with Jokowi, he said.
In response to a public debate suggesting that excellent young figures need to fill the cabinet, Basari said Nasdem welcomes this debate. This era demands those who are able to adapt to the rapid development of digital technologies, added.
Widodo had earlier hinted that his cabinet should be relevant to the demands of the present era. Therefore, youth would be recruited to be a part of his cabinet.
In connection with this issue, a member of Nasdem's board of experts Taufiqulhadi, claimed that Nasdem is eligible to bag 11 ministerial posts in Jokowi's upcoming cabinet line-up owing to its electability rate surpassing that of the National Awakening Party (PKB).
"Nasdem has grabbed more votes in the House of Representatives (DPR) than those of the PKB in the recent parliamentary elections, so it is eligible to propose that it secure 11 ministerial posts," he stated.
Despite the fact that no official deliberation has yet been held, Nasdem could maintain its seats in Jokowi's current working cabinet, he noted.
The PKB leader, Muhaimin Iskandar, should avoid publicly announcing his party's keenness to obtain 10 ministerial posts and instead discuss it with Jokowi, he suggested.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) had officially announced Sunday that Jokowi and his running mate, Ma'ruf Amin, were the president-elect and vice president-elect of Indonesia following the Constitutional Court's (MK's) final ruling.
Translator: shofi A, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
