REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANJARMASIN -- Relations between the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government of President Joko Widodo have improved, according to Deputy House Speaker Fahri Hamzah.
"Therefore, the ban on cabinet members of the Jokowi-JK government from attending DPR meetings is no longer effective," he stated in response to Antara's question on the issue here on Saturday (29/11).
Following a lunch meeting with regional board members of the South Kalimantan chapter of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), he added, "The ban is no longer questioned. Our working relations have improved."
Hamzah, who is also from the PKS, noted that the government of President Joko Widodo understood the importance of maintaining good working relations with the DPR.
"Moreover, it is our common goal to improve the welfare of all Indonesian people through allocation of national budget as one of the sources of funding," he affirmed in the company of the chairman of the South Kalimantan chapter of the PKS, Ibnu Sina.
"The use of national budget without the DPR's approval is illegal, which means that they will deal with the law if they violate it," Hamzah explained.
The deputy house speaker further remarked, "Let bygones be bygones. It is of utmost importance that we identify ways to build common perceptions in the future to further develop both the country and the state.
"All differences must be left behind as mere notes for common improvement," he said.
Hamzah, who is also the deputy secretary general of the PKS, was accompanied by a number of the party officials during the visit to give enlightenment to cadres in the province, which has 13 districts and cities.
President Joko Widodo recently instructed his cabinet ministers to not attend DPR meetings due to a dispute between the Red-White and the Great Indonesia coalitions.
The Red-White Coalition, which supported Prabowo Subianto in the last presidential election, includes the Golkar Party, PKS, Gerindra, and PAN, while the Great Indonesia Coalition, which supported Joko Widodo, comprises parties such as the PDIP.
The Red-White Coalition now dominates the parliament leadership.
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