Golkar denies preparing new cabinet list

Golkar denies preparing new cabinet list

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Secretary-General Ary Mardjono denied
making a list of future cabinet ministers for President Soeharto
to consider.

Ary said it was the President's prerogative to choose cabinet
ministers and the Golkar executive board had not discussed
matters concerning the 1998-2002 cabinet.

However, reliable sources say that Ary's list of ministers had
become a hot topic among Golkar leaders.

The People's Consultative Assembly will elect the new
president and vice president next March. President Soeharto, who
has been in power for 30 years, is widely expected to retain his
post.

Golkar won 325 of the 425 contested seats in the House of
Representatives (DPR) in the recent general election.

The new house of Representatives members will be sworn in on
Oct. 1.

Some Golkar figures and election campaigners, who assisted
Golkar in achieving its landslide victory, have been listed as
candidates for ministerial posts in the cabinet, the source said.

Past presidential cabinets have been dominated by the ruling
political organization. Most appointed cabinet ministers were
also Golkar cadres and members.

Golkar has won all six general elections held since the
establishment of the New Order government in the mid 1960s.

In the May 29 election, Golkar triumphed over its rivals the
United Development Party (PPP), which won 89 seats, and the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), with won 11 seats.

The remaining 75 seats are allocated for the Armed Forces,
whose members do not vote. (imn)