REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo called Deputy Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro to the Merdeka State Palace on Wednesday. Bambang brushed aside any speculation that the meeting was related to his ministerial candidacy.

"No, it was purely about state budget," he told the media after meeting with President Jokowi.

"The main discussion was about the state budget, whether it can sustain until the end of this year or will it cross the deficit limit. We also discussed the (financial) anticipation for 2015: how to increase revenue, economize spending, and so on," he explained.

Bambang emphasized that President Jokowi only wanted to know about the current financial situation and the next state budget conditions.

"Since state budget is the government's financial source, the President must be aware about its latest situation, and we (the Financial Ministry) must give him complete and detailed updates," he said.

Bambang Brodjonegoro was mentioned in some surveys, one of which was conducted by Indo Barometer, as one of Jokowi's ministerial candidates for financial field. Earlier, in the morning, President Jokowi hinted about announcing his cabinet on Wednesday.

"It could be today, in the afternoon, evening or tonight," President Jokowi stated after a meeting with the officials of the Jakarta Capital Region at the Merdeka State Palace.

However, Jokowi did not mention where he will make the announcement, whether in the State Palace or some other place such as the Pluit Reservoir in North Jakarta, Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta or the Tanah Abang wholesale market in Central Jakarta.

The president has not divulged any detail about his ministerial candidates, but submitted 43 names to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) to verify the sources of their wealth. The Law allows a president 14 days since inauguration to create his ministerial cabinet.

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