Announcement of new Cabinet delayed
Announcement of new Cabinet delayed
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid has decided to delay
announcing his new Cabinet until Aug. 24 at the earliest, as he
needs to further consult with Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri and other political leaders, Cabinet Secretary
Marsilam Simanjuntak said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with the President at
Merdeka Palace, Marsilam said the President's announcement would
be made next Thursday or Friday.
"The announcement plan has been changed from Aug. 21 to Aug.
24 or Aug. 25. I think the reason is because the President wants
to follow the directives of the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) and to seek more advice from leaders of political parties,"
Marsilam said.
Minister of Settlement and Regional Development Erna Witoelar,
along with Minister of Mines and Energy Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
and State Minister of Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid, has been
assigned to draft the Cabinet lineup.
Erna confirmed Marsilam's statement, saying the President
needs more time to lay the Cabinet's framework.
"We also want to promote the concept of Cabinet restructuring
to the people and then expect feedback from them," Erna said at
Merdeka Palace.
Separately, Ryaas said the new administration would be more
streamlined with only 14 ministries. He also stressed that the
new Cabinet would focus on efficiency.
"The next Cabinet will have 24 positions, comprising two
coordinating ministers and 14 departments, with the remaining as
state ministers," he announced on Wednesday.
Ryaas remarked the new Cabinet was designed to be simpler than
the one at present to make it more efficient and to avoid an
overlapping in ministers' portfolios.
"We will have two coordinating ministers; one handling
political affairs and defense, and the other economic and
financial affairs," he said, adding that "several departments
will be dissolved".
The office of the coordinating minister for people's welfare
and poverty eradication will be merged with the coordinating
minister for political affairs and security.
Susilo and current Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Sudirdja
have been tipped for the position of coordinating minister for
political affairs and security, while Rizal Ramli, the chief of
the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), and Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-
Jakti, the ambassador to the United States, are nominated for the
position of coordinating minister for the economy, finance and
industry.
Ryaas said his office would also be dissolved and placed under
the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He declined to comment on the rumors that he was a candidate
for the position.
"I am not prepared to hold more positions," he joked.
Ryaas said, as in the past, the Ministry of Forestry and
Plantations would be dropped to merge with the Ministry of
Agriculture, while the State Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
would be fused with the Ministry of National Education.
He said the government would also dissolve the Ministry of
Settlement and Regional Development and the State Ministry of
Transmigration and Population.
Separately, Susilo also confirmed that there would be a
"dramatic" streamlining. He refused to go into detail, but said
there would be less than 20 departments.
However, Susilo said the government would not repeat past
mistakes by dissolving the ministry of information and ministry
of social services in October without adequate preparations to
relocate civil servants working there.
The current Cabinet, formed in October, comprises three
coordinating ministers, 16 ministers, 13 state ministers, the
attorney general, Indonesian Military chief and state secretary.
He also disclosed the government would revitalize the National
Economics Council (DEN) and the National Security Council. He did
not mention the fate of the National Business Development Council
(DPUN).
Susilo did not elaborate on what he meant about the security
council as it does not exist.
"There are several councils now, and in the future we will
streamline the existing councils," Susilo said on Thursday.
(rms/prb)