Critics give Cabinet 100 days to prove itselft

Critics give Cabinet 100 days to prove itselft

JAKARTA (JP): Criticism of the newly formed Cabinet continued
on Thursday, however in the spirit of democracy and
reconciliation many said they were willing to extend the nascent
government a "trial period".

The National Front (Barnas), a group of outspoken critics
consisting mainly of former senior government officials and
military officers, said it would give the new Cabinet 100 days to
prove itself.

National Front chairman Kemal Idris called on students and the
general public not to be prejudiced in their assessment of the
new government.

"It is wiser for all sides to give the Cabinet 100 days to
work so that we can see whether they can achieve progress or
not," he said during a discussion here on Thursday.

"Barnas will press the President to reshuffle his Cabinet if
ministers prove unable to make progress in their jobs," the
retired lieutenant general said.

Separately, political observer Eep Syaifulloh called for
patience, noting that the People's Consultative Assembly could
demand a Cabinet reshuffle during its scheduled annual General
Session if ministers performed unsatisfactorily.

"Besides, the President has his own reasons and it is his
prerogative to appoint his aides, including ministers," he said
at a seminar commemorating the Youth Pledge.

Criticism of the Cabinet selected by President Abdurrahman
Wahid, popularly known as Gus Dur, also came from Mas Achmad
Santoso, executive director of the Indonesian Center for
Environmental Law, who particularly lamented the choice of Soni
Keraf as state minister of environment.

"Before the Cabinet was formed, we sent a recommendation to
the President about the criteria and the environmental background
required to resolve serious environmental and natural resource
problems," he said, adding that Soni had little background in
environmental matters.

"He is not qualified to solve complicated and critical
problems involving the environment and natural resources," he
said.

Meanwhile, a positive note came from United States Ambassador
to Indonesia Robert S. Gelbard, who said the new Cabinet would
receive the full support of the U.S. government.

"Last night President Clinton telephoned President Gus Dur and
they had an excellent conversation, and he congratulated him and
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri," Gelbard said.

Gelbard said Kwik Kian Gie, Marzuki Darusman and Laksamana
Sukardi were world class in their fields.

Gelbard also praised Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab,
whom he described as a sophisticated, knowledgeable and highly
intelligent man.

"He will be a super foreign minister," he added.

The appointments of Juwono Sudarsono as minister of defense
and Adm. Widodo as Indonesian Military chief were also praised by
the ambassador.

In Surabaya, the capital of East Java, around 200 students
staged a demonstration in front of the governor's office to
demand the President withdraw active military personnel from the
Cabinet.

The spokesman for the protesters, Muzakir, said the
demonstration was held to raise people's awareness of the reform
movement and the government.

"We also give the government 100 days to prove its commitment
to the reform movement and to solve numerous problems relating to
the economic and political crises," he said. (04/02/nur/rms)