Habibie bids farewell to Cabinet members
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie said an emotional goodbye on Tuesday to his Development and Reform Cabinet and thanked government officials for helping him during his 16-month term of office.
Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus said Habibie dominated the two-hour meeting, which was initially intended to finalize the draft of Habibie's accountability speech to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which is scheduled for Thursday.
"No one raised any questions. All of them just applauded," the minister said after attending the plenary Cabinet meeting at the State Secretariat.
All current serving Cabinet ministers attended the meeting, except for Minister of Finance Bambang Subianto.
Also present were Supreme Court chief Sarwata, Supreme Advisory Council (DPA) chairman Achmad Tirtosudiro, Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) chairman Satrio Billy Yudono and high-level officials from all ministries.
Despite having held the post for less than 16 months, Habibie lost one-fourth of his original 36-strong Cabinet lineup.
Ten top officials tendered their resignations due to various new regulations applied in the reform era which prohibit ministers from direct involvement in political campaigning or from holding dual positions in the Assembly.
Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung, then minister/state secretary, was in May the first minister to leave the Cabinet, after he announced a decision to campaign for his party during the general election.
He was followed by United Development Party (PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz, who resigned from his post as state minister of investment.
Habibie temporarily relieved in June A.M. Ghalib from his post of attorney general. The move followed allegations that Ghalib received funds from businessmen being investigated by his office.
Seven ministers departed the Cabinet last month in preference for a role in the new MPR. They included then coordinating minister for economy, finance and industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita, and minister of home affairs Syarwan Hamid.
Yunus said that during the meeting Habibie did not refer to the possibility of reappointing his former ministers if he was reelected.
During the administrations of former president Soeharto, ministers were usually permitted to keep their official Volvo limousines.
"Actually, I also wanted to ask him about the car," Yunus quipped.
Following the meeting, Habibie was busy preparing his accountability report at Merdeka Palace. He appeared to have taken his work home, as he later chose to receive politicians at his private residence in Patra Kuningan, South Jakarta.
Habibie was scheduled on Tuesday evening to have dinner with National Awakening Party (PKB) executives, including party chairman Matori Abdul Djalil. The President hosted on Monday evening a dinner for Justice Party (PK) executives, including the party's president Nur Mahmudi Ismail.
"The President just wants to exchange views with them," said an official on Tuesday. (prb)