Cabinet lineup is the talk of the town

Cabinet lineup is the talk of the town

JAKARTA (JP): Names disappeared as quickly as they came
yesterday as politicians, scholars, journalists and diplomats
exchanged gossip about the lineup of the new cabinet.

President Soeharto, reappointed for a seventh five-year term
Wednesday, is expected to announce the formation of the Seventh
Development Cabinet tomorrow morning.

Talk no longer focused on criteria for the next cabinet as it
did a few days ago. Most people were only interested in names,
their background, and their sponsors.

The visitors' list at Soeharto's Jl. Cendana residence was
combed for clues as it might have indicated that the head of
state wanted to discuss the guests appointment into the cabinet.

Three ministers from the outgoing cabinet -- Hartarto,
Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Saadillah Mursjid -- went to Jl.
Cendana separately yesterday and, not unexpectedly, none were
willing to disclose the content of their discussions with
Soeharto to journalists.

In normal times, they would have been expected to
automatically talk to reporters and disclose what Soeharto had
told them.

When journalists teasingly extended congratulations, Hartarto,
the outgoing coordinating minister for production and
distribution, latched on to their ploy and simply smiled back.

He left journalists puzzled when he told his driver to sit in
the back of the car as he took the wheel himself and drove away.

Ginandjar, the outgoing state minister of national development
planning, was just as tightlipped about his meeting, but when
asked about his future plans, he said: "I'm always ready to
assist him (Soeharto)."

Saadillah, the outgoing minister/cabinet secretary, did not
even give a hint of a clue when he left.

Soeharto has also been known to have simply phoned people he
wanted to serve in his cabinet in the past.

While naming the cabinet is the constitutional prerogative of
the president, various lists have surfaced in the past week
giving names likely to be included.

Some of these lists were so bizarre they were unbelievable.

One, for example, puts Sudomo, the former chairman of the
Supreme Advisory Council, as minister of religious affairs on
account of his conversions from Islam to Christianity and back to
Islam. And how about Dorce Gamalama, the famous entertainer who
had a sex-change operation, for the post of state minister of
women's roles.

However, with the cabinet announcement imminent, the names of
particular people for certain posts has been narrowed down,
indicating some agreements, although not necessarily deals,
between their supposed sponsors.

As in the past, Soeharto is expected to retain some of the
ministers from the old cabinet, particularly those who have
performed well, and bring in fresh faces from the Armed Forces,
the bureaucracy, Golkar, academia and business.

Some of the members of the former cabinet can be eliminated
straight away by virtue of their age and the number of times they
have served, while others by virtue of their poor or mediocre
performance. Very few ministers have served three terms in the
past.

Some ministers from the previous cabinet have already
indicated they do not expect to be included.

Moerdiono, the powerful minister/state secretary, bade
farewell yesterday to journalists and the President's staff on
Jl. Cendana and at the State Secretariat.

Moerdiono, who has served in three successive terms in the
cabinet in different postings, thanked them for their cooperation
and said that he might not return.

Tarmizi Taher, the outgoing minister of religious affairs,
indicated that he would not be serving in the cabinet anymore.

"I want to be a da'i (a Moslem propagator), which is what I
was before. I could even be a da'i for the Association of
Indonesian Journalists," he joked to journalists at his office.

The gossip, swapped at cocktail parties or by faxes and e-
mails yesterday, naturally revolved around the most important
posts in the cabinet.

For foreign minister, incumbent Ali Alatas remains the
pundits' favorite, although he has served two five-year terms. He
is followed in the rankings by Juwono Sudarsono, the deputy
chairman of the National Resilience Institute, and senior
diplomat Nana Sutresna.

Most speculate the defense portfolio will be given as an
additional job to ABRI Chief Gen. Wiranto. His predecessor Feisal
Tanjung is expected to become coordinating minister for political
and security affairs.

R. Hartono will probably be moved to the home affairs ministry
although others have suggested former Jakarta governor Surjadi
Soedirdja. The Ministry of Information, is expected to be given
to Alwi Dahlan, who has headed the government's agency for the
teaching of Pancasila courses, according to the rumors.

Saadillah is expected to move up to the important post of
state secretary.

Soeharto's economic team is expected to bring in some new
faces, including Fuad Bawazier, currently director general of
Taxes, and Tanri Abeng, president of the Bakri Group. Ginandjar
will remain in the economic team as will Hartarto.

Rumors were also rife yesterday about the inclusion of Siti
Hardiyanti Rukmana, Soeharto's oldest daughter, and timber tycoon
Mohammad (Bob) Hasan, as minister of social services and minister
of industry and trade respectively.

Bob Hasan, Soeharto's golf buddy who was present at the state
dinner hosted by the President at the Jakarta Convention Center
last night, responded when journalists extended congratulations:
"What congratulations? I haven't even received the call yet."

Outgoing population minister Haryono Suyono, also greeted
teasing journalists at the dinner, saying: "Sure I'll see you
guys again next week .. at some restaurant." (team)