REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The National Mandate Party (PAN) harbors no intentions of joining the government by approaching the president to appeal for a cabinet reshuffle, stated Senior PAN leader Amien Rais.
"I have repeatedly affirmed that PAN will remain outside the government. So, you should not consider that PAN is employing tactics by approaching the president, so that it could be included in the government through a cabinet reshuffle," Rais emphasized after attending a national working meeting of PAN here on Wednesday night.
Rais, a former chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), also appealed to the government of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to not allow political chaos in the country to protract.
"The political chaos will harm the Indonesian people's interests," he said.
One of the issues that Rais can raise to create political chaos is the policy adopted by Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly, who he believes has been meddling in the affairs of the Golkar Party and the United Development Party (PPP).
"If Pak (Mr) Jokowi no longer allows his minister to create a political chaos through his Minister Yasonna Laoly, the political conditions will then remain calm. So, please stop interfering in the matters of the Golkar, PPP, and other parties," he stated.
On this basis, Rais is of the view that a cabinet reshuffle is necessary as otherwise Jokowi will face major problems ahead if he allows his ministers to create political chaos and will also result in his government losing its focus.
"A government that directs its energy to interfere in the affairs of other political parties will weaken its focus," Rais remarked.
The inauguration ceremony for PAN's new executives for the 2015-2020 period and the national working meeting 2015 was also attended by President Jokowi and other high-level state officials.
They are House Speaker Setya Novanto, Deputy Speaker of MPR Hidayat Nurwahid, Democrat Party (PD) Executive Board Chairman Syarif Hasan, Golkar Chairman (of the Bali congress version) Aburizal Bakrie, and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) leader Mugawati Soekarnoputri, among others.
Muhaimin Iskandar of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) President Anis Matta, People's Conscience Party (Hanura) Chairman Wiranto, and United Development Party (PPP) Chairman Djan Farid also attended the event.
The ministers who attended the meeting included Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Tedjo Edhi Purdijatno, Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, and Minister for Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ferry Mursyidan Baldan.
In the meantime, Vice President Jusuf Kalla stated on Thursday that there is no rift between the leaders of the Great Indonesia Coalition (KIH) and the Red-White Coalition (KMP) within the working cabinet of the government.
The presence of President Jokowi during the inauguration of the National Mandate Party (PAN) management board and the opening ceremony of the party's national working meeting on Wednesday night could pave the path for the parties from KMP to become part of the government, the vice president remarked.
"Practically, there is no rift now, but there is support for the government, and there is criticism on policies, which are considered unfavorable for the nation," Kalla affirmed.
The vice president was also scheduled to attend the national working meeting of PAN along with President Jokowi, but he stressed that Jokowi's presence was adequate to represent the elements of the government.
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