Jakarta. Two long-time former executives of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Maruarar Sirait and Budiman Sudjatmiko, have been named among the prominent figures chosen by President-elect Prabowo Subianto to join his upcoming cabinet, which is expected to comprise at least 44 ministries and state agencies.

Their appointments come amid growing indications that PDI-P may assume an opposition role following the failure of the much-anticipated meeting between Prabowo and PDI-P Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri to take place before the cabinet selection began on Monday.

Maruarar, the son of the late Sabam Sirait, who helped Megawati found PDI-P after a split within the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) in the 1990s, confirmed his ministerial role following his meeting with Prabowo on Monday. However, he refrained from revealing his specific portfolio, stating that it was Prabowo’s prerogative to announce the formal cabinet lineup.

“I’ve been assigned to a role that will require very hard work,” Maruarar said.

Maruarar left PDI-P several months before the February 14 election to back Prabowo’s presidential campaign and demonstrate his loyalty to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, whose son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was Prabowo's running mate. In April, he officially joined Prabowo’s Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

Similarly, Budiman Sudjatmiko, a former lawmaker and longtime PDI-P figure, also exited the party just before the presidential election and shifted his support to Prabowo.

Budiman met with the president-elect on Tuesday to discuss his role in the upcoming cabinet.

"Mr. Prabowo asked me to work closely with him at the presidential palace and to coordinate efforts to alleviate poverty," Budiman said following the meeting at Prabowo’s private residence in Jakarta. “He mentioned that I will hold a position equivalent to a ministerial level.”

President Jokowi has distanced himself from PDI-P, which supported his two presidential campaigns, after his son Gibran became Prabowo's running mate. Analysts suggest that this shift, along with the first family’s departure from PDI-P, brought a significant number of voters to Prabowo’s side, contributing to his landslide victory in the presidential election.

PDI-P remains the only major party that has not joined the pro-government coalition. In several key regions, such as Jakarta, North Sumatra, Central Java, and East Java, PDI-P has fielded candidates in gubernatorial races against those backed by Prabowo’s coalition.

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