Jokowi postpones cabinet line-up announcement after eight rejected

Indonesians would have to wait longer for the announcement of a new cabinet line-up after the country’s anti-graft agency rejected eight people chosen to fill the posts.

President Joko Widodo said Wednesday, he would have to find new people under his new administration. He also declined to identify the candidates that had been flagged as problematic.

“Yesterday, we were told by (anti-graft agencies) there were eight names that weren’t allowed,” Widodo was quoted by Reuters as saying.

“Of course we have to change. If we don’t who will fill the posts?” he said.

Widodo had originally planned to announce his cabinet of 33 ministers on Tuesday, a day after his inauguration, made up of 18 technocrats and 15 political appointees.

He did not say when an announcement would be made.

“Everyone wants us to work quickly but what happens if we are mistaken? We need to be quick, but also correct,” Widodo said.

According to Reuters, the premier said he wanted a ministerial team dominated by professional technocrats and not stick to the traditional trading of cabinet posts for political support.

He also submitted his list of candidates to anti-corruption agencies for vetting before announcing the team.