Akbar dismisses DPA's first minister plan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): House Speaker Akbar Tandjung dismissed the
\nSupreme Advisory Council's proposal for the appointment of a
\nfirst minister to assist the President on the grounds that it
\nviolated the 1945 Constitution and would only increase political
\ninstability in the nation.<\/p>\n
\"The Supreme Advisory Council's proposal will not be effective
\nbecause the appointment of a first minister and the presence of
\ncoordinating ministers could create confusion and disturbance in
\nthe cabinet,\" he said here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Advisory Council (DPA) called for the president on
\nMonday to appoint a first minister in order to establish
\nconsistency among the ministers in the government.<\/p>\n
Akbar said he appreciated President Abdurrahman Wahid's recent
\ndecision to personally concentrate on economic matters while Vice
\nPresident Megawati tackles administrative affairs.<\/p>\n
\"What is most important is that the coordinating ministers
\nstrengthen cooperation with all ministers under their own
\nauthority so that the government can make significant progress
\nand achieve something of benefit to the people of Indonesia,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Akbar warned that despite the president's prerogatives, he
\ncould not replace his ministers arbitrarily because the cabinet
\nconsisted of ministers representing political parties and other
\ninterest groups.<\/p>\n
\"The president should not listen to the DPA's proposal because
\nit would disrupt the cabinet and would not create a conducive
\nenvironment in the administration,\" he said.<\/p>\n
House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno concurred and
\nsaid the proposal was unconstitutional.<\/p>\n
\"The DPA's proposal is neka-neka (idle and groundless) and the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) will
\noppose it in the House,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also mentioned that a first minister was appointed during
\nthe Djuanda cabinet, when the nation adopted, temporarily, the
\nsystem of the United States (RIS) in the 1950s.<\/p>\n
\"The idea of having a first minister was phased out after the
\nnation went back to the constitution in July 1959,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Legislator A. Effendy Choirie of the National Awakening Party
\n(PKB) was more cynical in his assessment, saying that it was part
\nof a grand plan to undermine the president's ability to manage
\nhis cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"The plan was intended to unveil Gus Dur's need for help and
\nto block his leadership,\" Effendy told reporters at the sidelines
\nof PKB's national coordination meeting.<\/p>\n
Effendy also said the idea did not make any sense because Gus
\nDur, Megawati and all the cabinet members were able to work
\neffectively together.<\/p>\n
\"We all have to give the newly formed cabinet a chance to
\nwork, it has only been eight months,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
Acting State Secretary Bondan Gunawan also said that it was
\nunnecessary to appoint a first secretary but stressed that the
\ndecision would be up to the People's Consultative Assembly and
\nthe House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
\"In my opinion, he (Abdurrahman) has enough (aides) but if the
\npeople ask for it, it is okay,\" Bondan said, adding that doing
\nthis would mean making a few cabinet rearrangements, but without
\neliminating coordinating ministers.<\/p>\n
Political observer Pratikno and legal expert Jimly Asshiddiqie
\njoined in the chorus of opposition to the idea, saying that it
\nwould only complicate policy making in the cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"The layers of policy making would become even thicker and
\nmore asphyxiating if yet another post under the President was
\ncreated,\" said Pratikno from Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity.<\/p>\n
\"It's useless since the problem is really the fault of the
\ncountry's leadership,\" Jimly from University of Indonesia said in
\nBandung.<\/p>\n
He suggested the separation of head of state and head of
\ngovernment due to the complicated problems faced by a big country
\nsuch as Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, there were some supporting voices amidst all the
\ndiscontent.<\/p>\n
People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais and United
\nDevelopment Party's senior legislator Aisyah Amini said that it
\nwould be very helpful for the President to have a person who can
\ndirectly help manage such affairs.<\/p>\n
\"But it's up to the President to make the decision,\" Amien was
\nquoted by Antara as saying after a mass gathering at Al-Azhar
\ngrand mosque.<\/p>\n
Aisyah suggested that the idea to appoint a first minister be
\ndiscussed by the Assembly. (25\/44\/rms\/dja\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/akbar-dismisses-dpas-first-minister-plan-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}