Golkar's Kalla confirms 'minor' Cabinet reshuffle

Golkar's Kalla confirms 'minor' Cabinet reshuffle

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang

Vice President Jusuf Kalla confirmed on Wednesday that only one
or two underachieving ministers would leave the Cabinet in the
upcoming reshuffle.

"It's not true that Golkar has proposed nine (new) names. The
President will replace only one or two ministers whose
performance is below the required standard. Cabinet reshuffles
are the President's prerogative but Golkar is ready to supply its
best members (for ministerial seats) if they are needed," Kalla
said before opening the party's leadership meeting.

Asked when the reshuffle would be announced, Kalla said the
President was expected to publicly announce it days after
arriving back from overseas. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
is visiting India and Pakistan, and is scheduled to arrive home
on Saturday.

Earlier, Kalla defended the performance of the government's
economic team under Coordinating Minister for the Economy
Aburizal Bakrie, who is also a Golkar member.

Several surveys recommended that the President replace his
economic team, which is blamed for the skyrocketing fuel prices
and the double-digit inflation rate.

Among the political parties supporting the administration,
only the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has been outspoken in
demanding the replacement of Susilo's economic team.

While overseas, Susilo criticized government officials who
also ran businesses, and said he would immediately issue a
regulation to prevent them from abusing their power to enrich
themselves or their families. Kalla and Aburizal both have
families involved in business activities.

Separately, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Soetrisno
Bachir warned political party leaders against preventing the
President from reshuffling his Cabinet. He did not name the
leaders he was referring to.

Susilo allocated some of the seats in his first Cabinet for
PAN, the Democratic Party that he founded, the United Development
Party, the Crescent Star Party, the Prosperous Justice Party and
Golkar.

"Reshuffling the Cabinet is the President's prerogative,
therefore party leaders should not hamper the process," Soetrisno
told a party function in Semarang.

Earlier Golkar deputy chairman Muladi, who heads the
government-military think-tank, the National Resilience
Institute, suggested that Kalla refrain from intervening in the
planned Cabinet reshuffle.