PL to run Home Affairs Ministry

Paul Somohardjo, chairman of the PL party, will get the opportunity to ‘deal’ with the political treachery and injustice that was done to him and his party when MP Raymond Sapoen and MP Dipakkoemar Chitan left the party with two parliamentary seats shortly after the general elections of May 2015 and joining the National Democratic Party (NDP). Both men then formed their own party namely the HVB. The PL chairman will run the Ministry of Home Affairs (Biza), a stronghold of the HVB which is currently being run by HVB high ranking member Mike Noersalim.

Somohardjo has already issued a warning to the HVB members at the ministry who want to mess things up. He claimed that he will not opt for rancor but that he expects all of the civil servants at the ministry to fully support the new policy and to refrain from sticking to the political agendas of the HVB. Somohardjo also claimed that “it is just a coincidence that the parties that have formed the future coalition have entrusted him with the Biza Ministry. “Do not be afraid. Do not be scared. We are not rancorous,” said Somohardjo who added that he would not show mercy to those who want to cut his wings short. “Do not continue the betrayal or else you will be on the war path with me because I will be at the ministry in person. I will run it personally.” The split within Pertjajah Luhur (PL) has not left the party unscathed. The PL party has reportedly shrunk from 5 parliamentary seats in 2015 to just 1 in 2020. The HVB on the other hand hauled in 7,300 votes. It is believed that most of these voters come from the PL’s camp. Despite all these votes the HVB did not haul in a single parliamentary seat.