Political parties in President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President\nGibran Rakabuming Raka\u2019s governing coalition have scrutinised PDIP\u2019s\npolitical position, which the party describes as a \u2018balancer\u2019 outside\nthe government. PDIP has questioned the coalition parties\u2019 focus,\nsuspecting there is unease within the government alliance.<\/p>\n
The scrutiny from the pro-government coalition was initiated by a\nstatement from PKB faction chairman in the House of Representatives,\nJazilul Fawaid, who assessed PDIP\u2019s stance in national politics as\nambiguous. Similar sentiments were echoed by the spokesperson and head\nof the Democratic Party\u2019s Strategic Communication Agency, Herzaky\nMahendra Putra, who felt PDIP\u2019s position still lacked firmness.<\/p>\n
\u2018For the Democratic Party itself, we think it is actually not a\nproblem for the public, the issue of supporting or not supporting the\ngovernment, PDIP\u2019s attitude towards the administration,\u2019 Herzaky told\nreporters in the Senayan area, Central Jakarta, on Saturday (20\/6). \u2018But\nthe most important thing is how that can truly be communicated to the\npublic, whether its stance is supporting or not supporting. That is one\nthing. The second is how it is implemented,\u2019 he continued.<\/p>\n
Herzaky compared the situation to the Democratic Party\u2019s own\nexperience of being outside the government for nine years under the\nseventh President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi). He argued that a\npolitical position must be stated openly so the public is not confused.\n\u2018The Democratic Party has experience being outside the government for\nnine years previously, and we took a firm and clear stance. We delivered\ncriticism, and we were also firm in that position,\u2019 Herzaky stated. He\nnoted that many parties are questioning PDIP\u2019s current position, though\nhis party respects PDIP\u2019s decision. \u2018But again, the important point is\nto just show a firm stance. Whether today they are outside or inside,\u2019\nhe added.<\/p>\n
From another coalition party, PKS Secretary General M Kholid also\nassessed that being inside or outside the government is equally\nimportant and needed. Kholid said that if PDIP chooses to remain outside\nthe government, it is a constitutional choice and good for democracy.\n\u2018If PDIP chooses to be outside the government, that is a legitimate,\nconstitutional choice and also good for our democracy because it further\nstrengthens the checks and balances function in parliament,\u2019 Kholid told\nreporters on Saturday (20\/6). Kholid revealed his party had also spent\n10 years outside the government during the Jokowi era. The PKS\nlegislator said PKS has now chosen to join the government coalition.\n\u2018PKS itself once chose to be outside the government for 10 years during\nPresident Jokowi\u2019s tenure when PDIP led the administration. And now, we\nchoose to be inside the government, supporting the success of President\nPrabowo\u2019s administration,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
Still from within the government coalition, Golkar Party\u2019s Head of\nEconomic Affairs, Mukhamad Misbakhun, said he respects the criticism\nfrom PDIP politicians towards the government. However, Misbakhun has not\nfound substantive and solution-oriented elements in the various\ncriticisms delivered by PDIP politicians. \u2018PDIP has long experience in\noperating government and state policy. Therefore, the criticism\ndelivered should be more mature, proportional, and solution-oriented,\nnot adding heat to the situation,\u2019 Misbakhun told reporters on Sunday\n(21\/6).<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Misbakhun assessed that although Indonesia\u2019s\nconstitutional system does not formally recognise an opposition, every\npolitical party should still demonstrate a clear and consistent\nposition. He argued that parties should not play a \u2018two-legged\u2019 game,\ndeciding to be both inside and outside power. Misbakhun stressed it is\nunseemly for a political party to enjoy appreciation when government\npolicies are well-received by the public, but then hastily distance\nitself when the government faces difficult and unpopular policies. He\ndescribed such ambiguous political behaviour as not a good practice in\npolitics.<\/p>\n
\u2018Do not position yourself as a balancer, but when a good government\nprogramme is appreciated, you also want to score points. Conversely, you\nimmediately criticise harshly when a government programme is facing\nproblems. That two-legged political position is not elegant,\u2019 Misbakhun\nadded. The chairman of House Commission XI believes the public does not\nwant to see ambiguous political stances. According to Misbakhun, clarity\nof political stance is also part of democratic education. \u2018Please have\ndifferent views and give criticism, but do not let the public perceive\nan ambiguity in political stance. Consistency is far more educational\nfor the people than a stance that changes with the situation,\u2019 Misbakhun\nsaid. Nonetheless, Misbakhun encouraged all political parties to\nprioritise collaborative politics, arguing that current problems cannot\nbe solved by blaming each other and require contributions of ideas from\nall political forces.<\/p>\n
\u2018Let us cool the atmosphere together. The task of all political\nelites is to set an example, present solutions, and place the interests\nof the nation and state above momentary political interests. Politics\nwith a national outlook where national interest values must be\nprioritised over practical populist political interests,\u2019 Misbakhun\nstated.<\/p>\n
PDIP Suspects Problems Within the Government Coalition<\/p>\n
PDIP Central Board Chairman Deddy Sitorus responded to Golkar and the\nDemocratic Party\u2019s questioning of PDIP\u2019s position as a balancing party.\nDeddy instead suspected there is an uncomfortable situation within the\ncoalition itself, which is why PDIP\u2019s position has been questioned\nlately. \u2018Indeed, their attitude is surprising. Do they really want PDIP\nto also have ministers in the cabinet, so they only feel calm because\nthey lack confidence or what?\u2019 Deddy told reporters on Sunday (21\/6).\nDeddy assessed there is discomfort among the government coalition\nparties and suspected indications that these parties want PDIP to join\nthe cabinet.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pdip-and-government-coalition-trade-barbs-over-balancer-role-1782089487", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }