REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- DPP Chairman of the National Amanat Party (PAN), Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) said that the Indonesia Forward Coalition party started talking about the composition of the cabinet after KPU RI set Prabowowow Gibran as president-vice president was elected. Prabowo honored the lawsuit in the Constitutional Court (MK), which was decided on Monday (22/4/2024).
“Indeed, before the decision of the Court and the determination of the Commission, we Coalition Indonesia Maju had not talked about strategic matters (regarding the ministerial seat). After this MK and the appointment of the new Commission, it is planned that later there will be talks of a meeting,” Zulhas told reporters at the PAN DPP Office, South Jakarta, Tuesday (23/4/2024).
Zulhas said that the discussion of strategic issues was held after the appointment of the Commission because it was “not safe” for the ministerial chair to speak while the Court was still processing a lawsuit disputing the results of the 2024 presidential election. In addition, Prabowo also obeyed the principles and asked his coalition party to wait for the proceedings in the Court in full.
Regarding the allocation of ministerial seats in the Prabowo-Gibran cabinet for the PAN, Zulhas said, he was honored when Prabowo signaled he would give more ministerial seats to the PAN. He considered it natural because the PAN had always consistently supported Prabowo since the 2014 presidential election.
“You know that PAN's journey with Mr. Prabowo has been a long, long time. Long mourning, of course it is for appreciation or honor for the PAN,” the trade minister said.
Even so, Zulhas asserted, the composition of the cabinet and the appointment of ministers are Prabowo's prerogative as president-elect. Therefore, it will leave it to Prabowo to decide.
“We follow the rules. When it comes to ministers, the full rights of the elected president. His name is also an aide to the president. My kayak is a helper,” Zulhas said.