Megawati laughs at Abdurrahman's move<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri was
\nreported to have just laughed at President Abdurrahman Wahid's
\nlatest Cabinet shake-up on Tuesday, when minister of finance
\nPrijadi Praptosuhardjo became the 11th Cabinet member dismissed
\nby the President during his 20-month tenure.<\/p>\n
The secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), Soetjipto, said Megawati, who is also
\nthe party chairwoman, was not informed beforehand of the
\nPresident's decision to reshuffle the Cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"Ibu just laughed when we asked for her comment on the latest
\nCabinet reshuffle,\" Soetjipto said after attending PDI
\nPerjuangan's weekly meeting, chaired by Megawati.<\/p>\n
Echoing Megawati's stance on the matter, Soetjipto said the
\nCabinet shake-up would not stop the planned special session of
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly in August, which could lead to
\nthe President's impeachment.<\/p>\n
An adjutant to the President, an Army colonel, was the highest
\nlevel official accompanying the President when he announced the
\nCabinet changes at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Since October 1999, Abdurrahman has dismissed 11 Cabinet
\nministers, apart from the major Cabinet reshuffle he ordered
\nfollowing the Assembly's annual session in August, which produced
\na warning to him over his poor performance. At that time he
\nstreamlined his Cabinet from 35 ministers to 26.<\/p>\n
United Development Party (PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz was the
\nfirst Cabinet minister to be shown the door, losing his position
\nas coordinating minister for social welfare just one month after
\nhis appointment in 1999.<\/p>\n
The most welcome dismissal, for international observers at
\nleast, was that of Gen. Wiranto as coordinating minister for
\npolitical and security affairs in February last year.<\/p>\n
The President also dismissed Laksamana Sukardi, a member of
\nPDI Perjuangan, in April last year. Ryaas Rasyid was the only
\nminister to resign from the Cabinet, giving up his post following
\na disagreement with the President.<\/p>\n
\"How can a minister perform well when he is fired even before
\nbeing active as a minister,\" Soetjipto commented.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said Abdurrahman would do well
\nto prepare for the Assembly's special session rather than wasting
\ntime changing his Cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"Such moves will not help him,\" Akbar contended.<\/p>\n
PPP secretary-general Alimarwan Hanan agreed, saying, \"The
\nPresident should concentrate on the special session.\"<\/p>\n
Political dispute<\/p>\n
An economist at the Centre for Strategic and International
\nStudies, Pande Raja Silalahi, noted that the country's most
\nfundamental problems were related to politics and security, not
\nthe Cabinet lineup.<\/p>\n
The deterioration of the country's macroeconomic indicators is
\nmainly the result of domestic political instability, so the
\ncountry's political leaders must first of all settle their
\npolitical disputes, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Even if the President installs a genius on the economic team,
\nit is just useless,\" Pande noted.<\/p>\n
He also said it would be difficult for the financial market to
\nreact positively to the reshuffle with the President so close to
\nbeing impeached by the Assembly.<\/p>\n
Those in the market said the Cabinet reshuffle failed to
\naffect sentiment on the local currency because the move was not
\nlikely to save the President from impeachment.<\/p>\n
The rupiah ended flat on Tuesday at Rp 11,250 against the U.S.
\ndollar.<\/p>\n
Economist Arief Ramlan Karseno from Gadjah Mada University,
\nhowever, praised Rizal Ramli's appointment as new finance
\nminister.<\/p>\n
Karseno said Rizal was proficient in the fiscal field, a
\nquality desperately needed by the minister of finance given the
\ngovernment's difficulty in coping with the budget deficit.<\/p>\n
\"The government's fiscal policy will change under Rizal's
\ndirect control of the government's monetary policy,\" Karseno told
\nThe Jakarta Post. (44\/rei\/prb)<\/p>",
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