State Secretariat undertakes major reshuffle<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Less than one month before President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
\nadministration completes its tenure, the powerful State
\nSecretariat has conducted a major reshuffle of 109 officials.<\/p>\n
Among the officials sworn in on Tuesday by State Secretary
\nBambang Kesowo are two high-ranking officials appointed as deputy
\nsecretary to the President for management of presidential aid and
\ninternal affairs and deputy secretary for the media.<\/p>\n
The reshuffle also affected the bulk of division heads in the
\nState Secretariat.<\/p>\n
Speaking with reporters after the swearing-in ceremony,
\nBambang refuted suggestions that the reshuffle was not well-
\nprepared and was aimed at covering up shortcomings that occurred
\nduring the three years of the Megawati administration.<\/p>\n
\"It is not true that the reshuffle was done hastily or that it
\nhas anything to do with the imminent loss of the incumbent in the
\nrunoff,\" Bambang was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Megawati is headed for a crushing defeat in the presidential
\nelection, with rival Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono taking an
\nunassailable lead in the computerized vote counting conducted by
\nthe General Elections Commission (KPU).<\/p>\n
When asked about the possibility of Susilo removing the newly
\ninstalled officials after he takes office, Bambang replied: \"It
\nwill be the prerogative of the new president. But I can guarantee
\nthat the two high-ranking officials will not be removed.\"<\/p>\n
Deputy Cabinet Secretary Erman Rajagukguk said the reshuffle
\nhad been prepared long before Megawati decided on her reelection
\nbid.<\/p>\n
He rejected the use of the term \"reshuffle\", and instead
\nstressed that it was a series of promotions aimed at improving
\nthe welfare of the new officials.<\/p>\n
\"The decree on the officials' promotions was issued in June,
\nand today's event was only to formalize them,\" he told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He declined to comment on the significance of the posts in
\nrelation to presidential duties.<\/p>\n
In a similar move, Attorney General M.A. Rachman rotated on
\nMonday 10 provincial chief prosecutors and swore in 16 new
\nofficials, prompting suggestions that the move was an effort to
\nbolster his position prior to the arrival of a new government.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the moves, Saldi Isra, a lecturer of law at
\nPadang-based Andalas University and an anticorruption activist,
\nexpressed concern that the reshuffle would disrupt the
\nbureaucracy.<\/p>\n
\"What is the point of replacing officials who will likely be
\nremoved once a new administration takes office,\" he told the
\nPost.<\/p>\n
He said the move could also create problems for the new
\nadministration, as the new officials could produce erratic
\npolicies.<\/p>\n
Saldi suspected that the reshuffles at the State Secretariat
\nand the Attorney General's Office was part of efforts to cover up
\nany past wrongdoings.<\/p>\n
\"The installment of new officials may be prompted by a desire
\nto protect friends and cronies who had conspired in doing
\nmischief in the past,\" the Bung Hatta Anticorruption Award
\nrecipient said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/state-secretariat-undertakes-major-reshuffle-1447893297",
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