Govt won't appoint minister to take over Soesilo's post
Govt won't appoint minister to take over Soesilo's post
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto will not appoint a new
minister to replace Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs
and Security Soesilo Soedarman who died Thursday, a senior
minister said yesterday.
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said that ministers under
Soesilo's supervision would take turns presiding over a monthly
limited ministerial meeting on political and security affairs.
"One meeting may be chaired by the Minister of Home Affairs,
the next meeting by the Minister of Defense and Security and so
on," Moerdiono said after meeting with Soeharto at the latter's
residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.
The cabinet will end its term in March. Soesilo's office
oversees the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home
Affairs, the Armed Forces, Ministry of Information, Ministry of
Justice, Ministry of Defense and Security, the Attorney General's
Office, and several other state agencies.
A monthly ministerial meeting is usually held one week before
the monthly cabinet meeting on the economy, finance and trade.
"The President also ordered to raise a flag half-mast for
three consecutive days to mourn Soesilo's passing away,"
Moerdiono said.
Soeharto paid his last respects to Soesilo yesterday morning,
a few hours before the funeral at the Kalibata National Heroes
Cemetery in South Jakarta.
The ceremony, a full military procession with salvo gunfire,
was presided over by Minister of Defense and Security Edi
Sudradjat.
"The full military procession is given to the late
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo
Soedarman in honor and appreciation of his services to the state
and the nation," Edi said in his eulogy.
He said that Soesilo's death was a shock to the nation.
"We have lost one of the nation's best children, who upheld
the 1945 heroic spirit all his life," he said, "However, as
religious people, we are all ikhlas (accepting with heart and
soul) that God wanted to call him 'home'," Edi said.
Present at the ceremony were Chairman of the Supreme Advisory
Council Sudomo, Chief Justice Sarwata, Minister of Justice Oetojo
Oesman, Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo and
Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave.
Soesilo was also former minister of tourism, post and
telecommunications.
Also present were Chief of the State Intelligence Coordinating
Body Moetojib, Deputy Governor of the National Resilience
Institute Juwono Sudarsono, Secretary for Development Operations
A.M. Hendropriyono and some high ranking military officials, both
active and retired.
Soesilo is survived by his wife, Widaningsri, two sons, a
daughter and six grandchildren. (imn/prb)