Government to design new Cabinet structure<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government is designing a new structure for the Cabinet,
\nPresidential Office and the planned National Defense Council and
\nNational Economic Council.<\/p>\n
State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Friday that under
\nthe new structure, at least two ministries and several government
\nagencies would be placed under different coordinating ministers.<\/p>\n
\"For example, the Ministry of Tourism, currently under the
\npeople's welfare coordinating minister, will be placed under the
\ncoordinating minister for the economy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Office of the State Minister for Research and Technology,
\nmeanwhile, will fall under the coordinating minister for people's
\nwelfare, as the state minister's office deals with similar areas
\nas the Ministry of National Education, Yusril said.<\/p>\n
He said his office was also drawing up job descriptions for
\nthe coordinating ministries, and ministries with and without
\nportfolios under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's government.<\/p>\n
\"Each coordinating ministry has the authority to coordinate,
\nbut each minister can report directly to the President and does
\nnot have the obligation to submit a regular report to the
\ncoordinating ministers,\" Yusril said.<\/p>\n
In the past two administrations of former presidents
\nAbdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid and Megawati Soekarnoputri, the
\nposition of coordinating minister was very important, especially
\nin the decision-making process.<\/p>\n
After the Bali terror attack in 2002 that killed 202 people,
\nthe coordinating minister for political and security affairs was
\ngiven the authority to take immediate action against terrorists,
\nas regulated in Presidential Decree No. 4\/2002.<\/p>\n
Yusril further said that under the new structure, his office
\nwould oversee the offices of the Cabinet secretary and the
\nmilitary secretary, as well as the presidential and vice
\npresidential secretaries.<\/p>\n
\"Only the Cabinet secretary will have direct coordination with
\nthe President, while the rest will be under my authority,\" Yusril
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Regarding plans to establish a National Defense Council (DPN)
\nand a National Economic Council (DEN), Yusril said discussions
\nwere underway on the matter.<\/p>\n
The planned DPN, which would be led by the President, will be
\nauthorized to make decisions on defense issues, he said.<\/p>\n
The state secretary said the DEN, meanwhile, would serve as
\nthe President's think tank on economic policies.<\/p>\n
The council will not, however, be under the leadership of the
\nPresident, he added.<\/p>\n
\"We will soon finish designing the new structure this month,
\nand next week's Cabinet meeting will be on this new arrangement
\nfor the Cabinet and presidential office,\" Yusril said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-to-design-new-cabinet-structure-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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