Abdurrahman delays decision on Ryaas' resignation

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid delayed responding to State Minister for Administrative Reform Ryaas Rasyid's resignation submission from the Cabinet post, and asked him to stay, pending consultation with Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar said the move had to be taken due to a "prior commitment" between Abdurrahman and Megawati that "there should be no changes within the Cabinet".

"Even if it (a cabinet reshuffle) is necessary to cater to Pak Ryaas Rasyid's request, the President still has to consult Ibu Megawati before making any decision," Wimar said.

"It is the President's prerogative to include the Vice President in decision-making," Wimar added.

Ryaas tendered his resignation from the Cabinet on Tuesday citing disagreements with Abdurrahman over the newly-implemented regional autonomy.

He said that there had been differences of opinion between him and the President over the formation of a special agency on regional autonomy.

Abdurrahman rejected Ryaas' idea of establishing a powerful autonomy supervisory board, instead opting for a lower-level directorate-general under the home affairs ministry.

Wimar said on Tuesday that Abdurrahman would consider the resignation until Wednesday.

In a statement on Wednesday Wimar said that "a presidential reply is being drafted now", adding that it would be sent to Ryaas later in the day.

"The letter will stipulate that the President does not accept Pak Ryaas' resignation until he (Abdurrahman) has the chance to meet with the Vice President," Wimar said.

Megawati is on a 12-day overseas trip which includes official visits to Switzerland, Bangladesh and Malaysia and a minor haj pilgrimage to Mecca. She is scheduled to return home on Jan. 9.

Ryaas earlier claimed that, during his meeting with Megawati on Dec. 26, he already had a green light from the Vice President to resign from the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, Ryaas said later in the day that the development "has gone out of the scenario".

When asked whether he would backtrack on his plan to resign from the Cabinet if he is offered the position of home affairs minister by Abdurrahman, Ryaas responded that he "is not interested in the job anymore".

"You can mark my words that I will refuse that position. I would rather be an academic like I was before in order to get closer to you like this," Ryaas told a snap press briefing at his office.

Later on Wednesday, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung threw his support behind Ryaas saying that his resignation from the Cabinet was aimed at avoiding further conflict with Abdurrahman.

"The President should not wait for Megawati before making the decision," Akbar said.

"There will be no advantages of maintaining Ryaas' presence in the Cabinet since the division between the two will only stir further conflicts in the future," Akbar said.

Separately, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sarwono Kusumaatmadja dismissed rumors that he was quitting the Cabinet and would be assigned to other ministerial posts, including to fill Ryaas's current post.

"I am fitting in with my work now.

"I will stay in this Cabinet as long as Gus Dur does not ask me 'to catch a fish in a tree' or do an impossible thing," Sarwono told The Jakarta Post and Kompas at his office on Wednesday.

He said he would remain in his post "even if there is another ministerial post offered (from the President) and so long as there is no interference to my work and my team".

Sarwono -- who was minister of administrative reform in Soeharto's era -- further said that he actually felt honored to be part of the Cabinet in this time of crisis.

"We are muddling through the process and have to learn from past mistakes. It's true that some of the ministers are tired and fed up with the situation as Gus Dur, as we know, is a 'unique and difficult person' to cope with.

"The situation is also getting worse due to unavoidable 'life or death' struggles between elites of the old forces and the new regime. This will only stop if both parties have a cease-fire," he said.

A Cabinet source, however, said that Ryaas has actually been partially successful in his efforts "to tame Gus Dur".

"From the beginning we can see that Ryaas is 'offering his resignation' and not 'officially quitting'. He does not quit the Cabinet, indicating that he was half hoping the President will reject his wish. Abdurrahman did turn down his resignation and hinted that he would 'work things out', on issues such as the regional autonomy scheme.

"So far Ryaas has won. It's up to Megawati now," the source said.

The source also said Ryaas managed to persuade four other ministers to follow suit, but they "got cold feet" after a series of bomb explosions on Christmas Eve.

"It's all politics. Basically a figure needs a position.

"Those ministers left them (the rumors) floating to place a high price on themselves. So, it's all about power," the official said. (02/byg/edt/rms)