Expectations, suggestions pour in for next cabinet
JAKARTA (JP): With the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly marching predictably toward its foregone conclusions, attention has shifted to the makeup of the next cabinet.
Some Assembly members suggested yesterday that President Soeharto -- whose reelection is almost certain -- recruit aides from among people with clean records and expertise, while others called for a slimmer cabinet.
Two of the top brass of the United Development Party (PPP), Ismail Hasan Metareum and Jusuf Syakir, suggested that the President name only people who could help carry out good governance.
"The next cabinet posts must not be filled by corrupt people or those who collude and take bribes from businesspeople, so that we can establish a clean government," Ismail said.
Ismail pointed out that corruption and collusion practices had weakened the country's ability to cope with the prolonged economic crisis.
The 1945 Constitution says the president has the prerogative to pick his or her assistants. President Soeharto, who has been in power since 1968, has in the past formed his cabinet shortly after the General Session.
Ismail again offered, as he did five years ago, the party's best members to be included in 1998-2003 cabinet.
Jusuf, head of the PPP Assembly faction, suggested that Soeharto consider liquidating certain ministries to improve efficiency and coordination.
"A slimmer cabinet would bring about good teamwork and efficiency. It would also help supervision and coordination measures work in a more effective way," he said.
He criticized the outgoing cabinet members for lacking coordination, and for inconsistencies in policy implementation that had confused the public.
Another PPP legislator, A.M. Saefuddin, said that in order to live up to the demands of an efficient cabinet, posts such as coordinating ministers and state ministers could be abolished.
The posts, he said, should be fused into other related departments.
"If the government carries out such efficiency measures, we can save some Rp 15 trillion (US$1.67 billion) or move the funds to other sectors," Saefuddin said.
Noted businessmen Mohammad "Bob" Hasan and Aburizal Bakrie, both members of the ruling Golkar faction, supported the idea of an honest and professional cabinet.
"The trade and industry minister, for example, must be knowledgeable in international trade," Bob said.
Unlike Bob, who was cautious over the idea to set up a smaller cabinet, Aburizal, who is also chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said a slimmer cabinet might be necessary to boost efficiency.
"I don't know which ministries would be merged into one. But I do hope that we will have one coordinating minister for the economy," Bakrie said.
"The ministry could, for example, follow the model (applied by) Widjojo Nitisastro (President Soeharto's current economic advisor) during his era. We would (then) have a clear command and coordination," he said.
Reluctant
Golkar executives were extremely reluctant yesterday to comment on the next cabinet lineup, saying they did not want to trespass on the President's prerogative.
"We have entrusted the task to form the cabinet to the President. Whether he shrinks the team or adds new portfolios in the cabinet, we will support him," said Akbar Tandjung, deputy chairman of the Golkar faction.
"If we trust him to be our President, then we should fully back him. We have no input (on the matter for him), because the faction only does what it is assigned by its organization, namely to make sure that Golkar's concept will be adopted as the Assembly's decision," said Akbar, who is also outgoing state minister of public housing.
Another Golkar executive, Theo Sambuaga, shared Akbar's view. He said that unless the President wanted their input, the Assembly members should not have anything to do with his prerogative to form the cabinet.
A representative of the Armed Forces faction, Lt. Gen. Hari Sabarno, said his faction would not suggest any names for the next cabinet, but only wished to see more efficient cabinet budgeting.
The head of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction, Buttu R. Hutapea, said yesterday that PDI chairman Soerjadi deserved a ministerial post in Soeharto's next cabinet.
Buttu, who is PDI secretary-general, did not explain which post Soerjadi was most suitable for.
Asked about the reason for proposing Soerjadi, he said the party was referring to past experiences that each election contestant was allocated seats in the cabinet.
He cited former PDI chairman Sunawar Sukowati, who was appointed state minister of people's welfare in the 1973/1978 cabinet. (byg/das/imn/amd)