Cabinet power struggle persists
Cabinet power struggle persists
JAKARTA (JP): Political parties have submitted their
candidates for the new Cabinet but the lineup will not be
announced until next Thursday, largely due to a power struggle
within Megawati's own party.
Three of the country's largest parties, the Golkar Party, the
United Development Party (PPP) and the National Mandate Party
(PAN), all confirmed on Friday that they had presented their
candidates to President Megawati Soekarnoputri for consideration.
Golkar submitted 10 names, PPP three and PAN two. PPP
nominated Bachtiar Chamsyah, Alimarwan Hanan and Sugiharto, while
PAN submitted Hatta Radjasa and former finance minister Bambang
Sudibyo. Golkar, however, would not disclose the names of its
candidates.
Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz held a private meeting
at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Friday to finalize the
Cabinet lineup.
No statement was issued following the meeting.
Hamzah, after attending his party's executive meeting later on
Friday, said that the Cabinet's structure was almost certain to
remain the same as the current one.
"There won't be much change. We are only going to revive the
ministry of social affairs," Hamzah said.
The Vice President also denied rumors that the Indonesian
Military (TNI), which played a pivotal role in removing former
president Abdurrahman Wahid and propelling Megawati to power, had
asked for eight seats in the Cabinet.
He added that special attention would be paid to the economic
team and "we will only use people who have the respect of the
market".
He said that the Cabinet lineup would be announced on Thursday
and sworn in on Friday.
The delay in naming the Cabinet has made the financial markets
nervous and raised concern that the President may be struggling
to accommodate diverse political allies.
Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung urged the President to
make the decision on the lineup and announce it as soon as
possible to dispel speculation.
"I really expect the President to announce the Cabinet lineup
soon or the government will loose the momentum and market
confidence achieved following the appointment of the new national
leadership," Akbar said.
Another Golkar executive said the squabbling among political
parties for key positions in the Cabinet had concluded, as they
had basically agreed that they would let Megawati decide the
lineup based on names they had submitted.
The problem now lies within Megawati's Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), according to Syamsul Muarif,
chairman of the Golkar Party faction at the House of
Representatives.
He said Megawati was now facing conflicting demands from her
own members.
"As you know there are many factions in the party and her
(vice presidential) secretary may have been expressing different
views concerning the Cabinet," he told The Jakarta Post.
Outgoing vice presidential secretary Bambang Kesowo was often
said to be one of Megawati's strong influences and is said to
have urged the President to include more professionals in the
Cabinet.
"From what I have heard, there has also been strong pressure
from Soetjipto, Sophan Sophiaan, Arifin Panigoro, Theo Syafei and
her husband Taufik Kiemas. These five figures strive for more
influence over her," Syamsul added.
Soetjipto is currently the party's secretary general, Sophan
is chairman of the party's faction at the People's Consultative
Assembly, Arifin is chairman of the party's faction at the House
and Maj Gen (ret) Theo Syafei is a party deputy chairman.
"So, there is no elaborate political bargaining among the
parties because, during the political leaders' meeting on
Thursday, they hardly discussed the posts or the candidates. It
was to their advantage," he remarked.
A PDI Perjuangan executive, who requested anonymity, confirmed
with the Post that a power struggle among party executives had
stalled the Cabinet announcement.
"Yes, there is a power struggle inside the party. We only hope
that Ibu Mega will not be influenced by this struggle when
appointing the Cabinet," the executive said. (dja)