Golkar supports reshuffle demand: Akbar Tanjung

Golkar supports reshuffle demand: Akbar Tanjung

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar will offer a list of underachieving
ministers if President Abdurrahman Wahid goes ahead with his plan
to shake up his Cabinet, the party's chairman, Akbar Tandjung,
said on Friday.

Akbar, who is the House of Representatives speaker, announced
he had conveyed the offer during a meeting with Abdurrahman,
chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) Megawati Soekarnoputri and chairman of the National
Awakening Party (PKB) Matori Abdul Djalil on the eve of the
President's departure for a 14-day overseas trip last week.

"If the President needs help, Golkar will recommend ministers
who should quit the Cabinet," Akbar said after a meeting with a
National Commission on Human Rights delegation.

Akbar said Golkar would let Abdurrahman decide what he thought
was best, including a possible removal of the party's cadres in
the Cabinet.

After the dismissal of Yusuf Kalla as minister of industry and
trade recently, Golkar has Mahadi Sinambela, Bomer Pasaribu and
Marzuki Darusman left to represent it in the Cabinet as state
minister of youth affairs and sports, manpower minister and
attorney general respectively.

In a meeting with chief executive officers of American
companies in New York early this week, the President hinted that
there would be another Cabinet reshuffle. He claimed to have
received support from Akbar, Megawati and Matori.

According to the 1945 Constitution, the President has the
prerogative to appoint and dismiss a minister.

Since taking office last October, Abdurrahman has fired four
Cabinet ministers. His government has come under persistent
criticism for a lack of teamwork.

Akbar said on Friday another reshuffle would be necessary to
enable the government to cope with the complicated problems in
security, the economy and national unity.

"Given the situation, it is normal for the President to
reshuffle his Cabinet," Akbar said.

Deputy House Speaker Tosari Wijaya of the United Development
Party (PPP) said the Muslim-based party agreed to let Abdurrahman
choose his entrusted officials in the planned Cabinet reshuffle
for the sake of national interest.

"Gus Dur should make the choices by himself so that there will
be no grumbles about an underachieving Cabinet because of
internal bickering," Tosari said, referring to the President by
his popular nickname.

He added, however, that he believed Abdurrahman would consult
major parties before announcing the reshuffle.

Economy

Meanwhile, PKB executive Yusuf Faisal suggested that the
upcoming Cabinet reshuffle focus on the economic portfolio, which
many said to be the main weakness of the current administration.

Yusuf said Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Finance and
Industry Kwik Kian Gie, and Minister of Finance Bambang Sudibyo
should be replaced because of their poor performance in
implementing economic reform programs.

"Coordination between the two ministers are weak," he said on
the sidelines of an economic presentation.

Yusuf is also the secretary-general of the influential
National Business Development Council (DPUN) which advises the
President on various business issues.

But Yusuf said a Cabinet reshuffle does not necessarily mean a
dismissal of Cabinet members.

"The reshuffle could also be in the form of a rotation of a
Cabinet member from one portfolio to another," he said.

He pointed out that Bambang could take over the top post in
the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), while Kwik
could become the coordinating minister for people's welfare and
poverty eradication.

"I heard that Gus Dur has asked Dorodjatun Kuntjorojakti to
replace Kwik," Yusuf said, referring to the Indonesian ambassador
to the United States.

"I also heard that former Bappenas chairman Boediono is more
suitable to become the finance minister," he added. (jun/rei)