Indonesian president may include new parties in next cabinet reshuffle

World Wednesday 10/February/2016 14:34 PM
By: Times News Service
Indonesian president may include new parties in next cabinet reshuffle

Jakarta: Indonesia's President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday he may consider including members of new political parties in his cabinet in a future reshuffle.
"It is in process," Widodo told Reuters in an interview at the presidential palace, adding that erstwhile opposition parties like Golkar, which is also the country's second-biggest, may be featured in a new line-up.
Widodo's ruling coalition has four major parties, all of which control seats in the cabinet.
Several former opposition parties like Golkar and the National Mandate Party (PAN) have pledged their support for the government in recent months.
Only one party, failed presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto's Gerindra, remains in opposition.
Widodo's last reshuffle in August was aimed boosting investor sentiment in Southeast Asia's biggest economy and was seen to be largely free of political interference from his backing coalition.
Six cabinet ministers were replaced in that reshuffle including the chief economics and trade mininsters.