Decree on task-sharing with VP unveiled

JAKARTA (JP): The much anticipated decree assigning the daily running of government to Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri was made public on Friday, but fell short of her supporters' expectations as it effectively left full authority in every field very much in the hands of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

The five-page decree, which was signed by the President on Wednesday, promised little in the way of real power for Megawati as her specified duties do not include any policy making.

The decree even specifically directs her to use the State Secretariat "which daily assists the President" to assist her in her new tasks.

And only "if necessary" can she employ her own Vice Presidential secretariat staff to assist her in these duties.

The decree makes good the President's pledge to hand over the running of daily government activities to the Vice President after he received a barrage of criticism over his government's performance during his progress report to the People's Consultative Assembly.

Many had anticipated that the President's statement would be a sign that Megawati would be running the show, as Abdurrahman insisted he wanted to focus more on foreign affairs.

But the title of the presidential decree fairly well defined the limits of Megawati's duties as it charges the Vice President "to Execute Daily Technical Duties of Government".

Megawati's specified duties in the decree include: * Formulating the Cabinet's working agenda, including the focus and priorities of the government. * Chairing Cabinet meetings, drafting its conclusions and explaining the results to the people. * Providing supervision and direction to members of the Cabinet. * Oversee and evaluate the work of the Cabinet in executing the working agenda and various programs. * Coordinate with other state institutions. * Make operational decisions in the context of executing the daily technical duties of government.

The decree, No. 121/2000, does give her authority to sign certain decrees.

But even this seems ceremonial as the article is qualified by a statement which asserts that she may only sign decrees "which contain policies which have been approved by the president".

This authority is diluted further as decrees announcing gubernatorial appointments depend upon authorization of the provincial councils, however, provincial councils also have this oversight responsibility for gubernatorial appointments made by the president.

These added daily chores according to the decree are valid until 2004, the end of the this presidential tenure.

Disappointed

Megawati has not commented on the decree, but senior members of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which she chairs, have expressed disappointment.

PDI Perjuangan Deputy Secretary General Pramono Anung said the decree shows that Abdurrahman is not sincere in his intent to share power.

"Megawati should be given freedom to use her own staff if the President really wants to delegate his duties," Pramono told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Nevertheless he remained confident that Megawati could still conduct her duties well despite the fact, according to Pramono, that the new Cabinet ministers were almost all appointed by Abdurrahman.

He said Megawati has proven that she can work together with people from different backgrounds as evident in the composition of the vice presidential secretariat.

He added that the House of Representatives should also keep a close eye on the Cabinet and their observance to work with the Vice President.

"Legislators will question the ministers if they don't report their work to the Vice President," Pramono warned.

Political observer Affan Gaffar of Gadjah Mada University also remarked that the decree made Megawati nothing more than a paper tiger.

"It's equivalent to not giving any authority to the Vice President as everything needs to be approved by the President," he said here on Friday.

He particularly highlighted the requirement for Megawati to only sign decrees which have the approval of the President, saying it gives the Vice President no autonomy whatsoever.

"Its just a paper tiger ... It also nullifies everything else she may have had power to do," he remarked.

Affan further argued that the presidential decree is counter to an Assembly decree which actually recommends that the vice president be given greater authority. (prb/jun)