Amien 'neutral' over new cabinet<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Moslem leader Amien Rais said yesterday he
\nneither supported nor opposed the new cabinet appointed by
\nPresident B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
\"The cabinet has a lot of technocrats in it but some of the
\nnames still reflect old ways,\" said Amien, who had been among the
\nmost outspoken members of the movement to oust former president
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
Soeharto stepped down Thursday after 32 years at the nation's
\nhelm and Habibie was immediately sworn in to replace him. The new
\nPresident announced his 36-strong cabinet yesterday, introducing
\n16 new names from various groups, including political parties
\nwhich had been excluded from the government for decades under
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
\"I am neither endorsing nor opposing the cabinet,\" said Amien,
\nleader of the Muhammadiyah Moslem group which claims a membership
\nof 28 million. Some consider Amien a likely candidate to replace
\nHabibie when and if Indonesia holds open elections.<\/p>\n
Amien said five of the 36 cabinet members were indications
\nthat Habibie had not chosen the best possible team. He identified
\nMinister of Trade and Industry Rahardi Ramelan, Minister of
\nHealth Farid Anfasa Moeloek, Minister of Investment Hamzah Haz,
\nMinister of Social Services Justika Baharsjah and Minister of
\nAgrarian Affairs Hasan Basri Durin as poor choices.<\/p>\n
\"Some of them appear to be linked to Cendana,\" he said,
\nreferring to the street where Soeharto lives.<\/p>\n
Amien watched Habibie's televised announcement of the cabinet
\nin a room at Muhammadiyah headquarters, which was packed with
\nreporters and camera crews. He gave his reaction within minutes.<\/p>\n
\"I want to say, in my opinion, the cabinet will not last till
\n2003,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Habibie's term as president expires in 2003.<\/p>\n
\"This cabinet is not aimed to last until the year 2003, but
\nonly to function as a transition team until fully democratic
\nelections are held,\" Amien Rais.<\/p>\n
Amien and other critics of the Soeharto government want
\nHabibie to call fresh elections within a few months and call for
\na session of the People's Consultative Assembly, which would name
\na new president and vice president.<\/p>\n
Human rights campaigner Marzuki Darusman separately concurred.
\nHe told The Jakarta Post that the cabinet lineup appeared to be a
\ncontinuation of the Soeharto regime.<\/p>\n
\"I don't see the cabinet making any significant political
\nchanges,\" said Marzuki, who is deputy chairman of the National
\nCommission on Human Rights. However, he urged the cabinet to
\nimmediately draft policies reflecting popular demands for
\npolitical reform.<\/p>\n
\"The challenge for the cabinet now is to give solid evidence
\nthrough pro-reform policies,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
Marzuki also said that the new government must complete its
\ninvestigations of missing person cases and of the May 12 killing
\nof four Trisakti University students, and release all political
\nprisoners unconditionally.<\/p>\n
\"If the government is really committed to reform, those things
\nmust be completed,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bambang Widjojanto of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation
\nshared Marzuki's opinion, saying that most members of the new
\ncabinet were known to be Soeharto loyalists.<\/p>\n
He said some key posts such as the minister of home affairs
\nand the minister information were given to individuals with
\nquestionable commitment toward reform. \"Syarwan (Hamid) was
\ninvolved in the ousting of Megawati Soekarnoputri,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
Syarwan, former House deputy speaker, was the Armed Forces
\nchief of sociopolitical affairs when Megawati, then the leader of
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), was ousted by a
\ngovernment-backed congress in Medan two years ago.<\/p>\n
Praise<\/p>\n
Praise for the cabinet came yesterday from former cabinet
\nministers Siswono Yudohusodo and Sarwono Kusumaatmadja.<\/p>\n
\"I notice that many people with good reputations are included
\nin the cabinet. Let's hope they'll be successful,\" said Siswono,
\nformer transmigration minister.<\/p>\n
\"I know the new ministers, especially in the economic team,
\nvery well,\" said Siswono, former environment minister.<\/p>\n
He added that the cabinet consisted of dedicated, honest and
\nhard-working individuals.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, members of the House of Representatives called on
\nthe public to give the new cabinet a chance to implement reform
\nand solve the country's political, economic and legal problems.<\/p>\n
Zamharir A.R. and Jusuf Syakir agreed that the cabinet faced a
\ngreat challenge -- namely winning public support and restoring
\nconfidence in the government.<\/p>\n
Former House speaker Idham Chalid separately expressed hope
\nthat the new cabinet would bring benefits to the people. Idham,
\nwho is also former chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem
\norganization, called on all parties to unite and avert friction.<\/p>\n
\"Differences of opinion is a usual thing, but all parties
\nshould exercise restraint,\" Idham was quoted by Antara saying.
\n(imn\/byg\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/amien-neutral-over-new-cabinet-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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