Susilo mulls 'one-roof' govt<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Bogor\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
To build an effective government, president-elect Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono is preparing a system that places the presidential and
\nvice presidential offices and state secretariat under one roof --
\nliterally.<\/p>\n
Political expert Andi Mallarangeng said after a closed-door
\nmeeting with Susilo and his team on Monday that the new concept
\nwould require the president and vice president to share the same
\nbuilding.<\/p>\n
Since the country's independence in 1945, the president and
\nvice president have had separate offices located some two
\nkilometers apart. The separation was said to be necessary because
\neach had his or her own duties.<\/p>\n
\"The structure (of the presidential office) will more or less
\nbe the same as the current one. But to make it more effective and
\ndynamic, there will be greater integration,\" Mallarangeng said.<\/p>\n
The presidential office will supply data not only to the
\npresident, but to the vice president and the state secretary,
\naccording to Mallarangeng.<\/p>\n
Apart from Mallarangeng, political analyst Denny JA,
\neconomists Muhammad Chatib Basri and Joyo Winoto, Susilo's
\nadvisor on religious affairs Muhammad Fuad and businessman M.
\nLutfi were among the key figures invited for consultations at
\nSusilo's home in Bogor.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the morning, Susilo held talks with his vice
\npresident-elect Jusuf Kalla and advisors Yusril Ihza Mahendra,
\nwho is the justice and human rights minister, and Adm. (ret)
\nWidodo A.S., a former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief.<\/p>\n
Susilo also invited Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
\nPurnomo Yusgiantoro to brief the former about the fluctuating
\nworld oil prices and its impact on Indonesia. Purnomo refused to
\ncomment on his meeting with Susilo.<\/p>\n
\"Within the first 100 days in office, Pak Susilo will issue a
\npolicy on fuel prices. The main concern, however, is to keep fuel
\nsupplies secure ahead of Idul Fitri, Christmas and New Year
\ndespite the volatile oil prices,\" Mallarangeng said.<\/p>\n
Beginning on Wednesday, Susilo will start interviewing his
\nministerial candidates.<\/p>\n
Kalla said the morning meeting focused on three priority
\nprograms the new government would pursue in the first 100 days.<\/p>\n
Susilo has called for a smooth transition period, which is to
\ninclude the Cabinet formation, putting his programs into action
\nand the revision of the 2005 budget draft.<\/p>\n
Kalla said the next Cabinet would differ from the current one,
\nas it would consist of 34 ministers, including two new
\nministries.<\/p>\n
He said the office of coordinating minister for political and
\nsecurity affairs would also handle legal matters, particularly
\nthose involving the eradication of corruption. The office of
\ncoordinating minister for the economy would focus on economic
\nrecovery, while the office of coordinating minister for people's
\nwelfare would concentrate on improvement of national education.<\/p>\n
Yusril added that Susilo would revive the state minister of
\nsports affairs and the ministry of trade, which, since 1998 has
\nbeen merged with ministry of industry. The office of the state
\nminister of sports and youth affairs was given the axe by former
\npresident Abdurrahman Wahid, who served between 1999 and 2001.<\/p>\n
Susilo, according to Yusril, would maintain the office of
\nstate minister of state enterprises and the National Intelligence
\nAgency (BIN), but with some changes.<\/p>\n
\"The office of the state minister of state enterprises will no
\nlonger control all state companies, which now exceed 200. Several
\nstate enterprises will fall under the supervision of related
\nministries to simplify the chain of coordination between them,\"
\nYusril said.<\/p>\n
As for BIN, Susilo is reviewing the status of its chief, who
\nis normally accorded a ministerial level rank, Yusril added.<\/p>\n
Separately, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) analyst
\nSyamsudin Harris suggested that the Cabinet comprise just 25
\nministers as in the era of decentralization some of the central
\ngovernment's powers had been delegated to regional
\nadministrations.<\/p>\n
He said the central government should focus on international
\nrelations, defense affairs, justice affairs, religious affairs
\nand financial affairs.<\/p>",
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