Ousted Marzuki back in Gus Dur's Cabinet lineup<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Only one month after his dismissal as attorney
\ngeneral, Marzuki Darusman was installed as Cabinet Secretary on
\nThursday, reclaiming his uncompleted mission to eradicate
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after his inauguration at the State
\nPalace, Marzuki said President Abdurrahman Wahid had agreed that
\nhis responsibilities would include the eradication of corruption
\nand law enforcement.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also designated Marzuki, who is deputy chairman of
\nthe Golkar Party, as an interlocutor to improve the President's
\nrelations with the House of Representatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
\"This Cabinet secretary position is mandated to promote law
\nenforcement and combat corruption. These are among the
\nrequirements I presented to the President as a precondition for
\nmy accepting the appointment,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
In brief remarks made before Marzuki's induction, the
\nPresident said Marzuki would face tough challenges in the course
\nof his duty to supervise the functions of ministers.<\/p>\n
\"This is a very heartfelt duty,\" the President said, before
\nasking new State Secretary Maftuh Basyuni to swear in Marzuki on
\nhis behalf.<\/p>\n
The President fired four Cabinet members including Marzuki on
\nJune 1, only days after Marzuki cleared him of involvement in the
\nBulogate and Bruneigate scandals. Both scandals were primary
\nissues leading to the House's demand that the President account
\nfor his government's poor performance on Aug. 1 in a People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) special session.<\/p>\n
After Marzuki's removal, the President appointed then minister
\nof justice and human rights Baharuddin Lopa as Marzuki's
\nsuccessor. Lopa died on Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Cabinet secretary at the time, Marsillam Simanjuntak, took
\nover from Lopa as justice minister, while maintaining his
\noriginal post.<\/p>\n
\"The position of Cabinet secretary is also related to efforts
\nto find a solution from the current situation, which needs to be
\naddressed,\" Marzuki said when asked whether his new promotion was
\nlinked to the President's efforts to seek a compromise with major
\npolitical parties.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said he had received approval from Golkar chairman
\nAkbar Tandjung to accept the new post.<\/p>\n
\"This (appointment) is supported by Pak Akbar as Golkar
\nchairman,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
Marzuki's appointment on Thursday came just three days after
\nthe President appointed Vice Cabinet Secretary Erman Radjagukguk
\nas acting Cabinet secretary and Suparman as acting attorney
\ngeneral.<\/p>\n
Erman, who is also a professor of law at the University of
\nIndonesia, read out Presidential Decree No. 219, issued on July
\n5, outlining Marzuki's promotion.<\/p>\n
Showing obvious disappointment at the brevity of his posting,
\nErman said that he had known from the beginning that he would not
\nhold the position permanently.<\/p>\n
Marsillam, who has known Erman for many years, was also
\nreluctant to comment about the President's sudden decision on
\nMarzuki. \"I am not supposed to know everything,\" Marsillam said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Akbar said he knew about Marzuki's new position
\njust after the swearing in ceremony. He insisted that Marzuki's
\nreadmission to the Cabinet has no relation at all with the
\ncurrent political deadlock between the President and the House.<\/p>\n
\"Marzuki always tries as hard as possible to assist Gus Dur,\"
\nAkbar argued, saying that the new appointment is the consequence
\nof personal relations between Marzuki and the President. (prb)<\/p>",
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