Akbar officially transfers ministerial post to Muladi

JAKARTA (JP): Akbar Tandjung officially handed over his post as minister/state secretary to Minister of Justice Muladi in a ceremony at the State Palace on Wednesday.

President B.J. Habibie was at hand along with 35 members of the Cabinet, but did not deliver a speech to mark the occasion. He looked emotional when he hugged a tearful Akbar, who has worked for him since he came to power in May last year.

The towering Muladi, who now holds two Cabinet positions, laughed when Akbar embraced him.

"I believe Pak Muladi will be a better minister/state secretary than I was," Akbar said.

The ceremony took place shortly after a Cabinet meeting on welfare and poverty alleviation at the Bina Graha presidential office. Akbar, who tendered his resignation on Monday, did not attend the meeting, citing conflicting interests with his duties as Golkar party chairman.

Akbar insisted that he first asked Habibie's permission to leave the Cabinet when he was elected Golkar chairman in July last year. "The President asked me to stay on in the Cabinet," Akbar asserted.

"From the beginning I said to myself that I would prefer to resign from the Cabinet if the President asked me to choose one of the two positions," Akbar added.

Akbar, who has already vacated his office in the state secretariat, reiterated his belief that Habibie was Golkar's best candidate for the presidency.

Golkar, which has ruled Indonesia since the 1971 election, is holding a meeting to decide upon its presidential candidate.

Akbar is known as a shrewd politician who tries not to insult anyone, even his most cynical opponents. He is receptive to journalists, but often leaves his audience unsure as to exactly what he was talking about, especially regarding sensitive issues.

"I have tried to be a good presidential spokesman," he said.

Akbar was unable to hide his disappointment with the decision by the General Elections Commission (KPU) to bar Cabinet ministers from campaigning for parties contesting the June election.

He also said he was annoyed by allegations that he had misused state facilities during tours in his capacity as Golkar chairman.

He conceded that he had on occasion chartered a plane, but insisted that Golkar paid the bill, not the government.

"I never used government facilities if I was on a visit to meet Golkar cadres. As state secretary I could easily have used the presidential airplane," Akbar added.

After the ceremony, State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin approached Akbar and his wife Krisnina Maharani and congratulated Akbar on his decision.

"I hope you will become a good campaigner," Saefuddin joked.

"I fight for my party. Not like you, who let others do the fighting for you," Akbar retorted.

Saefuddin, who is deputy chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), announced recently that he would not leave his ministerial post and had therefore decided not to campaign for his party.

"But do not forget I am my party's provocateur. I have designed the strategy which will lead my party to victory in the election," he informed Akbar. (prb)