JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The State Palace has sent clear signal to let the Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) to exit from the ruling coalition and as well as the cabinet of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
“There is a written covenant about coalition. If no longer aligned with the government, they (PKS) are welcomed to exit,” said Julian Aldrin Pasha, Spokesperson of President SBY, as quoted by Koran Tempo this morning (June 20).
President SBY, meanwhile, is still quiet and has not yet talked about the fate of PKS in his cabinet and the ruling coalition. But pressures continue flowing from members of the ruling coalition who want either PKS to willingly exit or to be kicked out from the coalition. Politicians from members of the ruling coalition have stated that SBY could soon hold the meeting of the joint secretariat of the coalition to discuss the fate of PKS.
The possibility of PKS’ dismissal from the coalition has been a recurring topic since 2011. And the relationship between PKS and SBY is currently getting worse, especially after PKS joined three political parties outside the ruling coalition led by PDI-P rejecting the revised 2013 State budget.
PKS is currently the third largest party behind President SBY’s Democratic Party and Aburizal Bakrie’s Golkar Party in the ruling coalition. PKS is also the largest Muslim-based party in the House of Representatives (DPR) controlling 57 seats (10.17%) from 560 total seats. PKS is currently controls three portfolios in SBY’s cabinet (Agricultural Ministry, ICT Ministry and Social Affairs Ministry). PKS has lost one portfolio (Research & Technology Ministry) back in the last cabinet reshuffle in 2011.
By Haryanto Suharman (haryanto@yosefardi.com)