Megawati has never told Jokowi what to do: Pramono

JAKARTA. A senior member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Pramono Anung Wibowo , has said PDI-P chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri has never told President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo how to run his government although the latter is a party member.

He reiterated that despite her position as party chairperson, Megawati had never interfered nor pressured Jokowi to swear in Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the new National Police chief.

He did, however, say that Megawati and Jokowi had disagreed in the decision-making process at least three times prior, but Megawati had always given the President final say.

He revealed that Megawati disagreed with Jokowi on the establishment of a transition team following his victory in the 2014 presidential election, recruiting certain figures to his Cabinet and the submission of the contentious national security bill to the House of Representatives for endorsement.

“But Megawati respected Jokowi’s decision on the setting up of a transition team,” he said in a roundtable discussion at the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly (MPR/DPR) complex here on Wednesday.

He said Megawati and Jokowi disagreed on the recruitment of several figures to his Cabinet, but also let Jokowi make the final decision on candidates.

Many analysts, politicians and activists have blamed Jokowi’s political benefactors for his reluctance to drop the nomination of Budi, who has been named a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), as National Police chief.

The KPK’s move to name Budi a suspect has further added to the mounting conflict between the KPK and the National Police following the “criminalization” of KPK leaders.

Deputy chairman of the KPK, Bambang Widjojanto, has also been named a suspect for allegedly instructing witnesses to perjure themselves in an 2010 election-dispute case.

KPK chairman Abraham Samad was recently reported to the police for allegedly holding prohibited meetings with PDI-P figures in connection with his vice-presidential bid during the 2014 presidential race.