Mega bemoans shrinking Cabinet<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri complained for a second time
\nabout ministers who quit the Cabinet to challenge her in the
\ncoming presidential election, saying their departure had weakened
\nher government.<\/p>\n
Speaking in a meeting with General Elections Commission (KPU)
\nmembers on Thursday, the President suggested that the country
\nfind a better way to prevent the political interests of
\nindividual Cabinet members from affecting the administration.<\/p>\n
\"If a minister joins the presidential race, then what we
\nexperience today will recur. The ministers just leave the Cabinet
\nwithout finishing their duties,\" Megawati said as quoted by KPU
\ndeputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti after the meeting.<\/p>\n
The President asked the KPU for inputs to help the next
\ngovernment cope with such a situation in the future.<\/p>\n
\"I raise this issue not because I am the incumbent president,
\nbut such a matter should not happen again,\" Megawati further
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
In the coming July 5 presidential election, Megawati will face
\nthree of her former ministers plus her deputy Hamzah Haz.<\/p>\n
Former coordinating minister for political and security
\naffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is the presidential candidate
\nfrom the Democratic Party, whose running mate is former
\ncoordinating minister for people's welfare Jusuf Kalla.<\/p>\n
Former communications minister Agum Gumelar is the vice
\npresidential candidate of the United Development Party (PPP),
\nwhich has nominated its leader Hamzah as its presidential
\ncandidate.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month Megawati expressed disappointment with
\nministers contesting the presidential election, branding them
\n\"leaping squirrels\" for abandoning the Cabinet and state duties
\nfor their political interests.<\/p>\n
However, Megawati was soon criticized by observers, who said
\nthat even without the resignation of some ministers, her Cabinet
\nhad never worked effectively.<\/p>\n
\"Mega should realize that her government does work well in
\nmany fields. So when some ministers resign, she should not use
\ntheir departure as an excuse for her administration's
\nperformance,\" political analyst Arbi Sanit said.<\/p>\n
He said the current Cabinet was unable to resolve key
\nproblems, particularly corruption, law enforcement and
\nunemployment.<\/p>\n
\"Moreover it is a minister's right to resign from the
\nCabinet,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another observer Saiful Mujani said the resignation was a
\nconsequence of Megawati's rainbow Cabinet which had not built
\nstrong ties with her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI-P).<\/p>\n
\"Of course, the resignation of several ministers will bother
\nMegawati. But she should not complain as it will backfire on her
\npresidential campaign,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Saiful believed ministers who opted to resign were thinking of
\na brighter future and probably thought it pointless to stay in
\nthe Cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"The main reason is perhaps that the ministers are seeking
\nhigher political positions like the vice presidency and the
\npresidency. So the resignation has nothing to do with the
\nCabinet's performance,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mega-bemoans-shrinking-cabinet-1447893297",
"image": ""
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