SBY, Kalla to hold weekly meeting<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Vice President Jusuf
\nKalla agreed to hold a weekly meeting on Mondays to evaluate the
\nperformance of the Cabinet, a move that apparently is also aimed
\nat easing political rivalry between the two.<\/p>\n
Susilo said that a regular evaluation would help improve the
\noverall performance of the bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
\"The Vice President and I really want the bureaucratic
\nmachinery to run well,\" he said following a meeting with Kalla on
\nMonday at the State Palace.<\/p>\n
The new plan came amid growing signs that the Vice President,
\nwho is a wealthy businessman and was recently elected leader of
\nthe powerful Golkar Party, the largest political party in the
\nHouse of Representatives, has been increasingly dominant in
\ndecision making process in various areas, unlike past vice
\npresidents who were mostly relegated to performing a ceremonial
\nrole. This development has seemingly intensified the rivalry
\nbetween the two.<\/p>\n
Analysts earlier said that the rivalry between Susilo and
\nKalla had penetrated the top level of the bureaucracy, slowing
\ndown the implementation of various government policies.<\/p>\n
A series of incidents, including one that led to the
\nresignation of a top official at the Office of the Vice
\nPresident, have often been cited as proof of the political
\nrivalry between Susilo and Kalla.<\/p>\n
Susilo has not specifically said that there would be division
\nof work between him and the Vice President, as had been suggested
\nby some analysts to help defuse the situation.<\/p>\n
Susilo said that what he wanted to see was a bureaucratic
\nmachinery -- from the highest to the lowest level -- working with
\n\"the same culture, pace and responsibility.\"<\/p>\n
Susilo, who won the country's first ever direct presidential
\nelection in September, received strong criticism after his
\nCabinet team failed to live up to expectations in many areas
\nduring the first 100 days of the new administration.<\/p>\n
The current administration is facing challenging tasks ahead
\nincluding attracting new investment and eradicating rampant
\ncorruption to help boost the country's economic growth to an
\naverage rate of 6 percent per year and provide more jobs for the
\nmillions of unemployed.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Kalla said that the weekly evaluation of the
\nCabinet would help ensure that each ministry implements its
\nrespective agenda.<\/p>\n
\"Every Monday, we will talk about all the work (of the Cabinet
\nmembers),\" said the Vice President, following the President's
\nbrief press conference.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Susilo complained about the slow progress of reform
\nwithin the bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
\"It is very disturbing that the bureaucracy does not work well
\nalthough the Cabinet ministers have attempted to implement good
\ngovernance and efficiency,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
Susilo added that he had met with governors across the country
\nto seek ways to accelerate reform.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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