SBY starts selecting his ministers<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Bogor<\/p>\n
Five prospective candidates who would likely fill posts in the
\nCabinet of president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono were summoned
\nfor interviews on Friday, the first time such a mechanism has
\nbeen used in the selection of ministers, at least in the public
\neye.<\/p>\n
Early in the afternoon, daughter of the country's first vice
\npresident Mohammad Hatta, Meutia Hatta, rector of the West Java-
\nbased Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Kusmayanto Kadiman
\nand a member of Susilo's campaign team Sofyan Jalil, took turns
\nin meeting with Susilo, an occasion considered as a recruitment
\nprocess for the ministerial posts.<\/p>\n
Other candidates, former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm.
\n(ret) Widodo A.S. and former chairman of the Indonesian Congress
\nfor Youth (KNPI) Adyaksa Dault arrived late Friday at Susilo's
\nprivate residence in Cikeas, Bogor for interviews.<\/p>\n
Susilo is expected to single out 33 individuals from scores of
\nprospective candidates for over 30 posts in his Cabinet.<\/p>\n
Meutia, who arrived first in the afternoon, said after the
\nmeeting Susilo talked at length with her for about an hour on
\nnationalism and character building as well as women, cultural and
\ntourism issues.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Susilo did not disclose what ministerial post he would
\nassign for me. But as a civil servant, I am ready to carry out my
\njob at any ministerial post,\" she told reporters who flocked
\nSusilo's private residence.<\/p>\n
Meutia currently serves as deputy minister of cultural affairs
\nat the office of the State Minister for Tourism and Culture.<\/p>\n
Speculation was rife that Meutia would be assigned as minister
\nfor social affairs or state minister of women's empowerment.<\/p>\n
She left Susilo's residence accompanied by economist Chatib
\nBasri of the University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Kusmayanto, who was to meet Susilo after Meutia, said that
\nSusilo asked him questions on education, telecommunication and
\ninformation technology.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Susilo also asked whether I was a member of a political
\nparty and whether I was willing to discard my political career if
\nelected as one of his aides,\" Kusmayanto said, adding that he
\nreceived a call early in the morning about the meeting from one
\nof Susilo's confidants.<\/p>\n
Kusmayanto speculated that he might be assigned either for the
\npost of education minister or state minister for research and
\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
Shortly after Sofyan -- who has been billed as a candidate for
\nthe state minister for state enterprises or the minister of
\ncommunication -- entered Susilo's private room for the interview.<\/p>\n
Sofyan said later there was no mention about what ministerial
\npost Susilo would confer to him. \"However, I will learn quickly
\nand accept any post granted to me and take that as a challenge,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said that Susilo's aide Maj. Gen. (ret) Sudi Silalahi asked
\nfor his presence at Susilo's residence from an early morning
\ncall.<\/p>\n
Before the interviews, Susilo met envoys from 17 Middle
\nEastern and African countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
\nLibya, Iraq, Palestine and Yemen.<\/p>\n
One of Susilo's spokesman, diplomat Dino Patti Djalal, said
\namong many issues raised by Susilo during the meeting was the
\nprotection for the bulk of Indonesian migrant workers in the
\nMiddle Eastern countries and the dramatic rise of oil prices
\nwhich had dealt a severe blow to the global economy.<\/p>\n
Susilo is expected to summon executive director of Bank
\nMandiri ECW Nelloe and director of state telecommunication
\ncompany PT Telkom Kristiono for interviews on Saturday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sby-starts-selecting-his-ministers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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