Activists offer list to new government

Activists offer list to new government

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The new government has a lot of work to do and non-governmental
organizations are closely watching how Cabinet members will
address the myriad problems facing the country.

Friends of Earth Indonesia campaigner P. Raja Siregar told The
Jakarta Post here on Friday there were two immediate problems new
Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar had to address in
his first 100 days.

"The Buyat (Bay) case is not yet resolved and should be
followed up by the new minister. We should remember that the
government's joint team has not yet announced its official report
to the public," he said.

The old government had set up a joint team involving members
of several environmental NGOs to investigate alleged
contamination in Buyat Bay in Minahasa, North Sulawesi, where
American-run company PT Newmont Minahasa Raya had disposed of its
tailings.

Former minister for the environment Nabiel Makarim issued a
report clearing Newmont of the contamination charge. The report,
however, has not been approved by the other team members.

Another environmental issue the ministry had to address was
the controversial government regulation in lieu of a law allowing
mining companies to resume operations in protected forests.

"We all know (the regulation) was completely wrong and the new
minister should do his best to revoke it," Raja said.

Raja questioned the appointment of Rachmat as minister.
Rachmat was a member of the Golkar Party, which had endorsed the
regulation.

"We will have to wait and see," he said.

However, Conservation International Indonesia executive
director Jatna Supriatna told the Post he was optimistic about
Rachmat's appointment.

"Rachmat has a close relationship with the President, which
might be good in that he (Rachmat) would be listened to," Jatna
said.

Meanwhile, the Foundation for the Empowerment of Health
Consumers head Marius Widjajarta said he hoped the new government
would have a serious commitment to health issues.

"The new government should draw up regulations on medical
services and hospital standards," Marius said.

Without these regulations, malpractice claims against doctors
would keep on rising and commercialization of the sector would
continue uncontrolled, he said.

The HIV/AIDS Pelita Ilmu Foundation chairman Husein Habsyi
wanted the health ministry to undertake more research to find out
the actual levels of HIV/AIDS in the country.

"We have not yet met or do we know much about the Health
Minister (Fadilah Supari), however, we hope her experience in
health will ensure she is more realistic about this problem," he
said.

Fadilah is a lecturer from the University of Indonesia's
faculty of medicine and headed the Harapan Kita Hospital's
research and technology department.

Regarding education, Vision for the Nation's Children group
founder Agus Pambagio, said he did not understand why Bambang
Sudibyo, an accountant, had become the new minister of education.

"Perhaps ... he can manage the budgeting issues in education,
including the 20 percent allocation (supposed to go to) the
education sector from the state budget," he said.

Bambang served as finance minister in the Cabinet of former
president Abdurrahman Wahid from Oct. 1999 to July 2001.