Gus Dur denies 'rift' with Megawati

By Budiman Moerdijat

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid denied strained relations with Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri despite the latter's conspicuous absence during the announcement of the new Cabinet on Wednesday, the President's biographer said.

Greg Barton, who is completing Abdurrahman's biography and with whom he has built a close rapport, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that Megawati's absence was not a sign that she was unhappy with the President's choices but merely because the Vice President felt that "to read the Cabinet lineup and take questions from the media at short notice would be intimidating".

"What happened yesterday was really coincidental. Ibu Mega came to the palace at around 3 p.m., talked to Gus Dur until about 4 p.m. then she excused herself saying 'I am not ready to appear to make the announcement' and then she left," Barton said.

"I think for Megawati to read the lineup of the Cabinet would be quite challenging, not like (Cabinet Secretary) Marsilam Simanjuntak... it is only everyday business, it is no problem," Barton remarked.

He said the relationship between Abdurrahman and Megawati "at the moment is getting better and better".

Megawati's absence on Wednesday sparked speculations of a rift between the two.

Abdurrahman at the time said that Megawati was in a hurry to have a bath.

Barton, an academic who specialized in liberal Islam in Indonesia and a senior lecturer at Deakin University, Australia, admitted that Abdurrahman's comment was "inappropriate".

He said that the comment was not actually meant to "humiliate" Megawati but "to laugh off the whole room" and added that Abdurrahman's words should not have been taken literally.

Barton said, however, that there was "one minor disagreement" between Abdurrahman and Megawati over the timing of the Cabinet announcement.

Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab had said that Megawati wanted Abdurrahman to be more cautious in selecting the Cabinet members while the President wanted to announce the Cabinet lineup sooner as there had been some pressure from business circles to do so.

The announcement of the Cabinet lineup on Wednesday surprised many people as it had initially been scheduled for Thursday.

Some choices have been criticized and the Cabinet has already been dubbed "all the President's men" as most strategic posts were given to people close to Abdurrahman.

Barton said Abdurrahman was aware of the criticism and that he might make some explanation in the near future for his choices.

"I joined him this morning for a walk. After the walk we were sitting and talking and somebody brought in newspapers and the adjutant read the front page of Kompas and then Gus Dur said it (the reaction) is natural and understandable and ... he is aware of the need to respond to it," Barton said referring to the newspaper headline, the "President's big gamble".

He said an explanation for the President's choices was needed as "the new cabinet is not an all-star team".

"If you choose somebody well-known like for example Faisal Basri or Sri Mulyani as finance minister ... there would be no need for a press conference," Barton said.

Criticism was largely directed at Gus Dur's choice of Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli, Finance Minister Prijadi Praptosuhardjo and Defense Minister Mahfud M.D.

Barton said Abdurrahman believed that Rizal could be "a good hands on manager" while Prijadi could be "a good team player".

"So, if Rizal Ramli is Batman, he (Prijadi) can be Robin, he can play the junior position without any conflict of ego which I think is really required now," he said referring to the comic book super heroes.

Prijadi was chosen despite failing the fit and proper test by Bank Indonesia (the central bank) earlier this year for the job of heading state Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI).

Barton said the President did not regard the fit and proper test as "an issue" since Prijadi's failure was because of "political opposition".

"People around (BI governor) Syahril Sabirin are from a different camp so it was like office politics and Gus Dur does not regard the fit and proper test as an issue here," Barton said.

Commenting on the choice for the defense portfolio, Barton said Abdurrahman believed Mahfud was the right person as the important task ahead would be legal reform.

"Gus Dur's argument is that if Mahfud is there as a professor of constitutional law, he can work with Yusril. Mahfud is not such a big name like Yusril so he can be partner. One is big name and one is low-key, that is the logic for that choice," he said referring to Minister of Justice and Human rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra.