Susilo drops criticized Cabinet meetings<\/p>\n
Wahyoe Boediwardhana and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post\/Denpasar\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has canceled Cabinet meetings
\nscheduled for Friday and Saturday amid criticism at home over the
\ncost effectiveness of the video conference facility and growing
\nspeculation of cracks within his government.
\n State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Friday that
\nSusilo could not head the Cabinet meetings because he was \"busy
\npreparing his speech due to be presented at the World Summit on
\nFriday (New York time).\"
\n \"I have phoned the Cabinet Secretary. He said the President
\nwas busy preparing his speech for the Summit,\" he said, referring
\nto Sudi Silalahi.<\/p>\n
Over the past few days, Susilo, who is on a week-long overseas
\nvisit to the U.S., has been leading daily Cabinet meetings via a
\nvideo conference facility to obtain fresh information and assess
\nthe situation at home, which is of particular concern given the
\neconomy is suffering from the impact of the oil price increase.<\/p>\n
The President was supposed to lead a meeting on Friday,
\ndiscussing ways to compensate poor families when the government
\nagain raises fuel prices. On Saturday, his last day in the U.S.,
\nSusilo is scheduled to hold another meeting to discuss the
\nresults of his overseas trip and a press conference with
\njournalists at home.<\/p>\n
The use of the video conference facility has triggered
\ncriticism at home including from some lawmakers, considering the
\ncost of nearly Rp 500 million (about US$50,000) for one week.<\/p>\n
Susilo's decision to lead the Cabinet meetings while overseas
\nsuggested he lacked confidence in the vice president to lead the
\nadministration, thus raising speculation over the poor relations
\nbetween the two. Jusuf Kalla only attended the first Cabinet
\nmeeting on Monday, and skipped the following meetings on Tuesday,
\nWednesday, and Thursday. In fact, he held a separate meeting on
\nThursday with several ministers on peace efforts in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The issue of an internal conflict within the Susilo
\nadministration became bigger with the revelation that the
\nPresident had actually issued a presidential decree before
\nleaving for the U.S. delegating state duties to the vice
\npresident until Sept. 17, when the President arrives home.
\n According to Presidential Decree No. 26\/2005 on the vice
\npresident's assignment to carry out presidential duties, the
\nPresident assigned Kalla to carry out his duties from Sept. 10 to
\nSept. 17.<\/p>\n
Among the so-termed presidential duties are leading Cabinet
\nmeetings, giving directives to ministers and coordinating with
\nthe leadership of state institutions.<\/p>\n
Yusril declined to say whether the President issued a similar
\ndecree every time he went abroad, saying that it was made by the
\nCabinet Secretariat.<\/p>\n
Since assuming power in October last year, Susilo has made
\nseveral official trips abroad, including to Chile; Malaysia and
\nSingapore; Australia, New Zealand and East Timor; the United
\nStates as well as China and Japan.
\n Yusril claimed the meetings via video conference were not
\nCabinet meetings but discussions about \"common and general
\nissues.\"
\n In Bali, Vice President Jusuf Kalla dismissed speculations of
\ndeclining relations with the President, saying that he did not
\nhave to attend the video conference meeting because the President
\nonly wanted to keep abreast of the latest issues in the country
\nduring his trip.
\n \"The video conference is only for ministers. I opened the
\nfirst day and the next days were for the ministers. It's not a
\nregular Cabinet meeting,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/susilo-drops-criticized-cabinet-meetings-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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