Evaluations completed, Cabinet moves expected<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has finished evaluating the
\nperformance of all his ministers, Cabinet secretary Sudi Silalahi
\nsaid on Tuesday, as expectations run high the President will
\nreshuffle the executive to boost its performance.<\/p>\n
Sudi said that the results of the evaluations would be
\nannounced after Idul Fitri.<\/p>\n
\"The evaluations have already been completed,\" he said as
\nquoted by Antara, moments before leaving the West Nusa Tenggara
\ncapital of Mataram for Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Sudi was in Mataram accompanying Susilo, who was opening
\nseveral development projects in the province. He declined to give
\nmore details, including whether the evaluations would lead to a
\nreshuffle.<\/p>\n
Susilo, who comes from the small Democratic Party but managed
\nto win in the country's first direct presidential election in
\n2004, has promised to evaluate the performance of his ministers
\nafter one year in office.<\/p>\n
Several surveys have shown public opinion is behind the
\nPresident immediately replacing poor-performing ministers with
\nprofessionals, especially members of the nation's economic team,
\nwhich has been blamed for the recent economic downturn.<\/p>\n
Despite this pressure, there remains doubt whether the
\nPresident would dare reshuffle Cabinet. Several top officials of
\nVice President Jusuf Kalla's Golkar Party, the largest in the
\nHouse of Representatives and the main supporter of the
\nadministration, have suggested there was no need for a reshuffle.
\nSome said that if the President decided to reshuffle the Cabinet,
\nGolkar would demand more posts in it, pressuring Susilo to once
\nagain pick politicians instead of professionals to head key
\nCabinet portfolios.<\/p>\n
The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), another key supporter of
\nSusilo, however, claimed on Tuesday that the President would soon
\nreshuffle the Cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"We (the PKS executive board) have just met President Susilo
\nto convey our dissatisfaction with the government's performance
\nover the past year. And during the meeting, he pledged to
\nreshuffle his Cabinet shortly. He also vowed to accommodate the
\nPKS' ideas on administration and management,\" secretary-general
\nAnnis Matta told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said the PKS had proposed a new, democratic mechanism to
\nrecruit professional people into Susilo's new cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"Before the recruitment, the President should unveil his
\nagenda and all programs he wants to begin until 2009 and
\ndetermine the competencies (of cabinet members) needed to execute
\nthe agenda and the work programs. Finally, he should hold dialogs
\nwith all parties supporting his government, to seek the right
\npeople with the requisite competencies,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Annis said that PKS, the only Muslim-based party supporting
\nthe administration, would withdraw its support if Susilo failed
\nto improve the administration's performance.<\/p>\n
He insisted his party was serious with its threat because it
\nhad been facing increasing political pressure from party chapters
\nand supporters who were angry about the fuel price hikes.<\/p>\n
\"PKS' executive board has been in a difficult position because
\nthe party is obliged to defend the fuel price hikes while its
\nmembers are not involved in the decision-making process,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The decision to raise prices was made by Vice President Jusuf
\nKalla's economic team.<\/p>\n
PKS members of Cabinet are Minister of Agriculture Anton
\nApriyantono, Minister of Public Housing Muhammad Jusuf Asy'ari
\nand Minister of Youth and Sports Adhyaksa Dault.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/evaluations-completed-cabinet-moves-expected-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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