PAN to lose Cabinet seat for backing Prabowo

POLITIC - JAKARTA. Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Asman Abnur, a National Mandate Party (PAN) politician, may have to resign or get fired in the near future following his party’s decision to challenge President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s relection bid in 2019.

State Secretary Pratikno signaled on Tuesday that Asman, who is the only PAN representative in the Cabinet, could be shown the door in an upcoming reshuffle

"There is a possibility [of a reshuffle] as part of the consequences of dynamics in politics and presidential candidacy," Pratikno said. "It's also about who is inside and who is outside the coalition."

PAN has decided to join the opposition Gerindra-party led coalition for next year's election, backing presidential candidate pair Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno. The coalition comprises Gerindra, PAN, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Democratic Party.

Pratikno, however, maintained that the President was satisfied with Asman's performance as a minister, particularly since the PAN politician was able to reform bureaucracy in state institutions to focus on serving the public.

"The [reshuffle] will be decided very quickly, we just need to wait for the President's decision," Pratikno said.