Cabinet changes likely this month: Alwi

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid is likely to reshuffle his Cabinet toward the end of the month after the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) closes on Aug. 18, a top government minister said on Tuesday.

Foreign minister Alwi Shihab elaborated on the President's remark on Monday that there would be ministerial changes soon.

"I'm almost certain they will be after the (MPR) meeting," Alwi, a confidant of the President, said after meeting with Abdurrahman at Merdeka Palace.

When pressed if he was confident a reshuffle would be performed this month, Alwi said "yes, in August".

But he said he did not know whether Abdurrahman would reduce the size of his Cabinet.

"It would be better if you asked Ibu Mega, because Gus Dur must consult her," he said, referring to the President by his nickname.

While many have suggested that the focus of the reshuffle should be on improving the government's economic team, there has been increasing speculation on the possible role of a first minister managing the government's day-to-day affairs, in particular since Abdurrahman said on Monday he wanted to handle the "little details" of foreign policy.

Speaking to reporters after attending a plenary session at the Assembly, law and legislation minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra stressed the need for the Assembly to clarify the role and functions of the president and vice president. He said a decree was needed to negate the confusion in Article 4 of the 1945 Constitution, which states that the president is to be "assisted" by the vice president.

He said a first minister or vice president running the daily affairs of the government was an acceptable practice and still within the confines of the constitution.

The Reform faction, so far one of the groups at the Assembly critical of the President, did not warm to the idea of a first minister.

Faction chairman A.M. Luthfi indicated that if the Assembly were made to decide on the matter, his faction would take a wait- and-see approach and consider how the majority voted.

Luthfi said in principle his faction respected the idea, however the composition of the Cabinet was the key issue.

He suggested that the new Cabinet comprise of no more than 25 ministers and be strongly focused on economic recovery, security and the supremacy of the law.

House Deputy Speaker A.M. Fatwa said Assembly members will discuss the cabinet reshuffle inside its commissions.

"We will discuss the possibility of the president becoming the head of state and the vice president the head of the administration," Fatwa told reporters on Tuesday.

Meanwhile in Yogyakarta, Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X said the adoption and selection a first minister should be a compromise between Abdurrahman and Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"It depends on the two figures ... It's okay too if the vice president is granted more authority," he said, adding that if the two did not genuinely endorse the idea of first minister it would become a source of political friction. (44/byg/dja)