Jakarta. Having nominated a rival candidate in the last presidential election, the National Awakening Party (PKB) won’t ask a reward in the form of cabinet representation in the future government under President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar said on Wednesday the party has no authority to take part in the ongoing selection for cabinet members, even after it already declared support to Prabowo’s leadership and joined the pro-government coalition.

"Regarding the cabinet, PKB has no authority whatsoever. It’s exclusively the prerogative of the president,” Muhaimin said in Jakarta.

"Although we now share the moral responsibility to ensure that the upcoming government really works for the welfare and security of the people, PKB has no urgency in intervening in the cabinet formation," he added.

In the presidential election in February, PKB nominated Anies Baswedan with Muhaminin becoming his running mate. The duo received around 25 percent of the vote as Prabowo secured an outright win with 58 percent.

Prabowo reportedly plans to expand the cabinet to 44 members from currently 34 in an attempt to accommodate the many political parties that join his coalition. Seven of eight incumbent parties in the House of Representatives have declared support for his future government.

It’s common in Indonesian politics that the elected president appoints representatives from political allies to cabinet positions as a reward.

Ahmad Muzani, the secretary-general of Prabowo’s Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), said earlier the cabinet restructuring will involve the establishment of new ministries and mergers of existing ones.

"The overall number of ministries will increase for sure but all the details are still being discussed," Muzani said.

The new cabinet composition will be announced around a week after Prabowo is inaugurated on October 20.

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