Haggling stalls Cabinet making<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The much-awaited Cabinet line-up will not be
\nunveiled until next week, accentuating apparent horse trading
\namong major political parties for key positions and leaving the
\nfinancial markets bearish.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri met major party leaders at
\nher residence in Central Jakarta on Thursday morning, but they
\napparently failed to agree on the line-up, prompting the delay in
\nits announcement until next week.<\/p>\n
The delay has apparently battered the financial market. The
\nrupiah slid a bit to close at Rp 9,640 against the U.S. dollar on
\nthe spot market from Rp 9,630 on Wednesday, while share prices on
\nthe Jakarta Stock Exchange dropped by 1.5 percent, with the
\ncomposite index falling to 436.41 points from 443.19.<\/p>\n
Those attending Thursday's breakfast meeting said that the
\nannouncement, initially slated for Friday or Saturday, would be
\npostponed until Thursday at the latest, but none of them give any
\nreason as to why it should be delayed.<\/p>\n
When elected two weeks ago, Megawati promised to name her
\nCabinet within days, and the delay has sparked speculation that
\nsquabbling among political parties has worsened.<\/p>\n
Participants at the meeting, however, denied that there was a
\nrift among the coalition of parties supporting Megawati's
\npresidency.<\/p>\n
Golkar Party Chairman Akbar Tandjung said after the meeting
\nthat the delay would provide sufficient time for each political
\nparty to select carefully their candidates and for the President
\nto consider the best ones for the Cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"The main point is we support the new government,\" Akbar
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
Akbar, also Speaker of the House of Representatives, however,
\nindicated his discontent with the delay, saying that Golkar had
\nsuggested that Megawati announce the line-up this weekend, but
\nstill the President decided to delay it \"for unclear reasons.\"<\/p>\n
The chairman of the National Mandate Party, Amien Rais, said
\nthe delay simply reflected Megawati's \"slow but sure\" style.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, caretaker minister of justice and human rights
\nMahfud MD said that he heard Megawati was angered during the
\nmeeting as political parties squabbled over a post in the
\nCabinet.<\/p>\n
The political parties, according to Mahfud, demanded to be
\naccommodated proportionally in the Cabinet in accordance with
\ntheir role in ousting Abdurrahman Wahid and propelling Megawati
\nto the presidency.<\/p>\n
If political parties continue their squabbling, Mahfud warned,
\nMegawati might turn to the Indonesian Military (TNI), that played
\na crucial role in her ascension to power, to fill key positions.<\/p>\n
The treasurer of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), Noviantika Nasution, confirmed that
\nthe delay was due to \"difficult conflicts of interest\" among the
\nparties and among PDI Perjuangan executives.<\/p>\n
\"Megawati is being very careful to balance the proportion
\nbetween candidates from political parties and professionals,\"
\nNoviantika told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Amien Rais, also Speaker of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly, asked Megawati not to be trapped by the assumption that
\npoliticians are not professional in their approach, or that
\nprofessionals are necessarily politically independent.<\/p>\n
\"Do not assume that professionals do not have political
\ninterests and that political parties do not have technocrats,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said further that some of the meeting participants hoped
\nthat a number of ministers in the previous Cabinet would be
\nincluded in the new one.<\/p>\n
However, he suggested that the \"old faces\", which may be
\nincluded in the new Cabinet, should be professional, hardworking
\nand capable of performing well.<\/p>\n
\"If there are several old faces it will be OK, but it will
\ncreate furor if there are too many old faces in the Cabinet. New
\nfaces, new platform; that would be better,\" Amien said after the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
Also present at the meeting were United Development Party
\n(PPP) Chairman Hamzah Haz, who is also the Vice President,
\nJustice and Unity Party (PKP) Chairman Eddy Sudrajat, dismissed
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Matori Abdul Djalil,
\nCrescent Star Party (PBB) chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Justice
\nParty (PK) President Hidayat Nur Wahid, and Assembly deputy
\nspeaker from the TNI\/National Police faction Hari Sabarno.<\/p>\n
Justice Party President Hidayat Nur Wahid underlined that the
\nnew Cabinet should be in the hands of people with integrity,
\nhonesty and professionalism; so each party should consider that
\nin nominating the candidates.<\/p>\n
\"Inside the meeting we agreed that we are going to use the
\ncurrent structure, with the addition of the ministry of social
\naffairs and there will be no ministry of information,\" Hidayat
\ntold journalists after the meeting. (dja\/tso)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/haggling-stalls-cabinet-making-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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