Cabinet welcomes Kalla, observers warn of backlash

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Those attending the Cabinet meeting on Monday were all smiles, particularly Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Showing no signs of fatigue, Kalla was indeed the man of the moment as all Cabinet members present, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, took turns in congratulating him on his successful bid for the Golkar Party's top post.

Kalla outshone Akbar Tandjung with a landslide victory in the election that dragged on to Sunday morning. The result dealt Akbar a huge blow, as it makes his hopes of contesting the presidential election in 2009 look slim.

"It is not unusual for the President and Cabinet members to congratulate the vice president. Please do not make a fuss over that," Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said after the meeting.

He said Kalla's election was not just beneficial to the government, but to all the nation's people.

"I guess everybody should be happy with the election," Sudi said.

Following his victory, Kalla named Coordinating Minister for the Economy Aburizal Bakrie and Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris as advisors to the party, which finished first in the April legislative election under Akbar's leadership.

Kalla has said his leadership of the country's largest party will not affect the performance of Susilo's administration. However, despite his already hectic schedule, he will have to take extra time out to concentrate on party affairs.

People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid said Kalla's commitment could not be taken for granted. He warned that Kalla's new party job could pose a threat to the government.

"The win could serve as an opportunity to ensure that the government's program is well implemented, but it could also pose a threat to the Vice President if he cannot deter the party from an attempt to revive an authoritarian government," Hidayat said.

He underlined that Kalla -- as a person who is bound to make good on his promise to bring about change in the country -- should understand that he cannot afford to dash the public's hopes.

"For the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), our position on his dual role is clear: He must concentrate on just one duty at a time," the former PKS chairman said.

Separately, political analyst Syamsuddin Haris of the National Institute of Science (LIPI) said Kalla's control over Golkar would backfire.

"Susilo is already starting to feel anxious about Kalla's personal ambitions," Syamsuddin said, referring to possible rivalry between the two leaders ahead of the 2009 presidential election.

Golkar controls 128 seats in the House of Representatives, compared to the Democratic Party's 57, of which Susilo is the leader.

Syamsuddin said Susilo's decision to allow Kalla to vie for Golkar's top post was "unwise".