Pressures mount for more Cabinet shake-up<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Although there has been no confirmation of
\nswirling reports of an impending Cabinet reshuffle, leading
\npoliticians said on Friday that President Abdurrahman Wahid
\nshould fire incompetent ministers.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nsaid the President should dismiss ministers who failed to perform
\nup to expectations.<\/p>\n
But the party's faction chairman Dimyati Hartono said the
\nchanges should be minor. \"A major reshuffle is not needed. We
\nhave to give more opportunities to the ministers to work and show
\ntheir performance.<\/p>\n
\"The government has not made significant progress so far
\nbecause it has had to deal with problems inherited from previous
\nregimes.\"<\/p>\n
The United Development Party (PPP) said several ministers
\nfailed to make headway in their duties since their appointment in
\nOctober.<\/p>\n
\"There is even a minister who constantly faces protests over
\nhis past business practices. His presence will affect the
\nCabinet's overall performance,\" chairman of the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) Rusydi Hamka said.<\/p>\n
The Golkar Party also supported giving the ax to poorly
\nperforming ministers.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, it is the President's prerogative, but he should
\nheed the aspirations of the people,\" Slamet Effendy Yusuf said.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman was dismissive when asked to comment on the
\nrumors.<\/p>\n
\"That is just some people talking,\" he said in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Speculation was boosted after the President suspended Gen.
\nWiranto from his post as coordinating minister for political
\naffairs and security and Ali Rahman resigned as secretary of
\nstate on Monday.<\/p>\n
Wiranto is the subject of an ongoing official investigation
\ninto his alleged role in the violence in East Timor in September.
\nAli tendered his resignation amid media allegations that he
\naccepted bribes when he was an official of the National
\nDevelopment Planning Board.<\/p>\n
Digging up dirt on ministers' past indiscretions appears to
\nhave become a favorite media pursuit.<\/p>\n
Recent target<\/p>\n
The most recent target was Coordinating Minister for the
\nEconomy, Finance and Industry Kwik Kian Gie, who reportedly held
\nshares in a Jakarta massage parlor.<\/p>\n
Kwik confirmed the ownership, but said the shares were
\nbusiness loan collateral transferred to him when the debtors
\ndefaulted.<\/p>\n
Minister of Industry and Trade Jusuf Kalla and Minister of
\nManpower Bomer Pasaribu have also been the target of allegations
\nof past misconduct.<\/p>\n
Even his close aides are not sure if the President, notorious
\nfor his unpredictability, will make changes to the Cabinet soon.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab believed the President
\nwould give his ministers six months in order to evaluate their
\nperformance.<\/p>\n
\"But this is only my analysis, not what the President thinks,\"
\nsaid Alwi, regarded as one of the Abdurrahman's confidants.<\/p>\n
Alwi said he was particularly offended by a Republika daily
\nreport on Friday, speculating the President would appoint him
\nIndonesia's ambassador to the United Nations and that he would be
\nreplaced by Marzuki Darusman, currently the attorney general.<\/p>\n
\"I question the intention of the daily,\" he said, terming the
\nreport malicious.<\/p>\n
Rumors of a reshuffle persisted among politicians and pundits
\non Friday, and even some Cabinet ministers, speaking on the
\ncondition of anonymity, joined in the speculation.<\/p>\n
Director of RiDep research institution Hermawan Sulistyo said
\nthe President did not select his ministers based on skill or
\ncompetence, but more on political accommodation of the various
\npolitical groups that ensured his election.<\/p>\n
If he was forced to reshuffle the Cabinet now, he should
\nreplace ministers who lacked managerial skills and those who
\ncontinued to pursue their own narrow political interests,
\nHermawan said.<\/p>\n
An analyst in politics at Gadjah Mada University in
\nYogyakarta, Pratikno, predicted difficulty for the President to
\nmake changes to the Cabinet without consulting the sponsors of
\neach of the ministers.<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leaders Said Aqiel Siraj and Noer
\nIskandar al-Barsany said Abdurrahman should replace Presidential
\nSecretary Ratih Kaniawan Hardjono with a member of the Muslim
\norganization.<\/p>\n
Ratih, a former Kompas journalist, has been the subject of
\nseveral newsmagazines' cover stories in recent weeks which have
\nfocused on her influence over the President.<\/p>\n
Critics have also accused her of being an agent of the
\nAustralian government. Ratih told legislators on Thursday that
\nshe was willing to face her accusers in court.<\/p>\n
\"It's better to get rid of Ratih to avoid more negative
\npublicity,\" Noer Iskandar said. (44\/45\/emf\/rms\/edt\/prb\/04)<\/p>",
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