REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Former Manpower and Transmigration Minister who is also the National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar visited the State Palace here Tuesday (21/10) but his presence was not noticed by journalists.
Muhaimin said nothing to the journalists about the purpose of his visit when he left the State Palace. However, in a recent statement that he made in a social media, he said that he would prefer being the PKB chairman to being a cabinet member.
He said it is a good step for a person not to have dual posts. Instead, he needs to choose a ministerial post or political career. The PKB is one of the members of President Joko Widodo's Great Indonesia Coalition.
Meanwhile, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) have checked the track records of all ministerial candidates, President Joko Widodo said.
"We have checked (all the candidates' names) with the KPK and PPATK. Is it still imperfect?" President Joko Widodo noted, adding that along with his team, he had processed the names of the ministerial candidates until early Tuesday, at about 3:00 a.m. local time.
President Joko Widodo affirmed that he would not select figures that were not willing to quit their dual posts as he wanted them to focus on working for the sake of the people.
Ade Irawan, an ICW activist, has previously urged President Joko Widodo to delay the announcement of the names of his cabinet members as several ministerial candidates' integrity and commitment to eradicating corruption were in question.
President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla had taken oath on Monday. The head of state is expected to soon announce the names of his cabinet ministers at the appropriate time.