PKB's loyalty appreciated for supporting pro-government coalition

Jakarta, NU Online
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he appreciated the National Awakening Party (PKB)'s loyalty in supporting the pro-government coalition.

"I would like to thank PKB for its togetherness with me... Speaking about coalition, PKB is so consistent," Yudhoyono said in his remarks at the party's national working meeting here Tuesday.<<>br />
The head of state, who is also the Democrat Party (PD)`s chief patron, said PKB`s consistency had shown its quality without losing its critical stance on the government in various matters.

In exercising its critical stance, the PKB did it ethically and responsibly, President Yudhoyono said.

Over the past few weeks, a discourse on cabinet reshuffling had become the center of media`s attention in Indonesia.

The political parties, whose fates of their cadres in the cabinet had frequently been questioned, were the Golkar Party and Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

However, shortly after the meeting of Golkar leader Aburizal Bakrie with President Yudhoyono, Golkar was said to remain part of the government coalition.

In response to the discourse on the cabinet reshuffle, Tifatul Sembiring, a senior PKS politician and cabinet member, had hinted that his party would remain in the government coalition.

"PKS will remain in the coalition," the communication and information technology minister said here recently.

In this connection with the discourse on cabinet reshuffling, the positions of ministers from the Golkar Party and Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) are reportedly threatened after the two parties supported the tax mafia inquiry motion at the House of Representatives (DPR).

PKS is given four ministerial posts: minister for social welfare, minister for research and technology, minister for communication and information technology, and agriculture minister.

The Yudhoyono government is strongly backed up by a coalition of ruling Democrat Party and such other parties as Golkar Party, PKS, PKB, United Development Party (PPP), and National Mandate Party (PAN). (ant/dar)