Muladi named as powerful state secretary<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie has named Minister of
\nJustice Muladi as the new minister\/secretary of state, a powerful
\npost similar to the chief of staff at the White House in the U.S.<\/p>\n
The post was vacated at the weekend after Akbar Tandjung
\ntendered his resignation in order to campaign for Golkar.<\/p>\n
Akbar, chairman of the ruling party, was forced to resign in
\ncompliance with a regulation by the General Election Commission
\n(KPU) that cabinet ministers cannot campaign in the elections.<\/p>\n
Habibie, who is scheduled to meet with Malaysian Prime
\nMinister Mahathir Mohamad in Batam on May 20, announced the
\ndevelopment in his cabinet to journalists at the State Palace on
\nMonday morning.<\/p>\n
Muladi, a law professor, was chosen for the job because of his
\ndeep knowledge about the law, Habibie said, adding that he was
\nneeded to process the various legislations now being prepared by
\nthe State Secretariat.<\/p>\n
The President also announced the appointment of Marzuki Usman,
\nconcurrently minister for tourism, art and culture, as minister
\nof investment, replacing Hamzah Haz.<\/p>\n
Hamzah also resigned on the weekend to campaign for the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) which he chairs.<\/p>\n
Habibie said Marzuki was the best person to replace Hamzah due
\nto his vast experience as chairman of the Capital Market
\nSupervisory Agency (Bapepam) and Indonesian Economists
\nAssociation (ISEI).<\/p>\n
Both Muladi and Marzuki retain their other cabinet posts.<\/p>\n
\"There is no cabinet reshuffle,\" Habibie said in the short
\nstatement. Habibie's administration will serve until the
\nformation of the new government after the June 7 elections.<\/p>\n
\"There is a strong relation between investment and tourism,\"
\nsaid Marzuki after meeting with Habibie at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
The ban against ministers campaigning in the election was
\ninstituted by the commission because of widespread abuses of
\nofficial positions and facilities in the past.<\/p>\n
Separately, a visibly upset Hamzah told the media the election
\ncommission had not been fair because its 48 members, representing
\nthe 48 poll contestants, were allowed to campaign while
\ncontinuing to hold their posts.<\/p>\n
\"If they are gentlemen, they (the KPU members) must also
\nresign from the post when they start campaigning for their
\nparties,\" Hamzah said after meeting with Habibie.<\/p>\n
The commission chairman, Rudini, has promised the body would
\ndiscuss the possibility of banning KPU members from campaigning
\nin a meeting on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Soon after meeting with Habibie, Muladi directly inspected the
\nState Secretariat office, which is located adjacent to the State
\nPalace. He said he might move from his current office in the
\nministry's building on Jl. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, to the
\nstate secretariat.<\/p>\n
Muladi said he would still be given the same salary, retain
\nthe one car he was already given, but would need two secretaries
\nnow.<\/p>\n
\"You must be careful with me now,\" he joked to journalists.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M.
\nSaefuddin reportedly has said he would also resign because his
\nparty, United Development Party (PPP), also wants him, as a
\nlegislature candidate, to campaign.<\/p>\n
\"Because Pak AM is also nominated for the legislative post, he
\nis required to campaign, therefore he must also retire from the
\ncabinet,\" Hamzah noted.<\/p>\n
Antara however, quoted Saefuddin as saying in Bandung, West
\nJava, he would not leave the cabinet because he would not
\ncampaign for PPP despite his nomination for the legislature.<\/p>\n
\"The ministerial position is now something that is so close to
\nmy heart that I decided to remain as minister until the end of
\ncabinet term,\" Saefuddin said.<\/p>\n
He said KPU only bars a minister to campaign. He did not
\nmention his party rule that he must also campaign for his party.
\n(prb\/emb)<\/p>",
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