Anies Baswedan Criticizes Jokowi's Cabinet: A Minister Wants to Change Constitution

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Former Governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, made a scathing remark against a minister in President Joko Widodo's cabinet. The presidential hopeful said that one of the senior ministers attempted to change the country's constitution.

Anies Baswedan is by far the leading presidential candidate for the 2024 elections. But last year, there were political concerns that President Widodo's government may postpone the election.

Anies Baswedan said a "coordinating minister" is behind that plan. 

"Why there is someone in the key position, Coordinating Minister, speaking of changing the constitution, with a number of people support that," said Anies Baswedan during a speech in a dialogue held by the Muslim Students' Association (KAHMI) in Jakarta, Friday (17/3/2023). 

Anies, who studied politics for his doctoral degree, expressed dismay that such a powerful figure would openly speak about changing the constitution. 

"This is not just lowering the quality of democracy," said Anies, "but someone who does not commit to democracy is getting braver to openly reveal his mind."

Who Is The Coordinating Minister?

Although Anies did not mention any name, last year the powerful Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan did speak openly about the possibility of postponing the presidential election, which could violate the constitution of Indonesia.

Luhut claimed he got "big data" that indicated many people wanted to postpone the election, although he refused to publicly open the "big data".

In the cabinet, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan is a coordinating minister for maritime and investment affairs.

However, Luhut has held various key positions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the planned new capital of Indonesia, the development of high speed railway Jakarta-Bandung with China, and the national lakes committee, among others.

There are four coordinating ministers in the current President Jokowi's cabinet. The other three are Mahfud MD (politics, law, and security), Airlangga Hartarto (economics), and Muhadjir Effendy (human development and cultural). None of them ever openly supported the postponement of 2024 elections.

President Joko Widodo has committed that the 2024 elections will be held as planned. Last year, he was also reportedly told his cabinet to stop talking about postponing the presidential election. 

A spokesperson of Luhut said that the coordinating minister would follow the president's direction. 

Anies Baswedan is currently supported by three political parties in the parliament, the National Democratic Party (Nasdem), the Democratic Party, and the socially conservative Justice Prosperity Party (PKS). 

During the KAHMI event, Anies Baswedan expressed hope of the fourth and fifth political parties to join the coalition. 

"Hopefully not for long there will be the fourth. We are usually finishing the work first, then making the announcement. Not announcing it with a big fiesta then cancelling it. Hopefully there will be the fourth, hopefully there will be a fifth later," said Anies. 

He said that the message of his coalition is to bring change and kindness.

Previously, Anies was the minister for education in President Widodo's first term. He left the post and then ran for the governor of Jakarta in 2017.

Anies Baswedan allied himself with the conservative groups, and contested the then-governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) who came from the Chinese-Christian minority background. 

The election was marred by racism and hoaxes. Anies Baswedan won by landslide while Ahok was sent to jail for blasphemy.

Jonathan Pandapotan Purba, Fachrur Rozie, and Yusron Fahmi contributed to this report.