Mega keeps a tight lid on the Cabinet lineup

JAKARTA (JP): There was much speculation but few actual clues as to the lineup of the new Cabinet on Wednesday, a day before it is due to be announced, with even People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien Rais failing to get peak at the draft of the new government.

By Wednesday afternoon, President Megawati Soekarnoputri's aides and other senior politicians claimed they were still very much in the dark about the Cabinet, which is due to be formally announced at 11 a.m. on Thursday.

Megawati in picking the members of the Cabinet has shrewdly pulled down an iron curtain, which few are allowed even a glimpse behind.

Amien admitted that during separate afternoon meetings he held with both the President and Vice President Hamzah Haz, he had attempted to try and get a sneak preview.

"I thought I could get some leads, but I got nothing," Amien remarked after meeting with Hamzah.

"This is interesting because with only a few hours before the announcement, we still don't know who is going to be in the Cabinet," Amien, who is also the National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman, remarked.

Amien, who's 20-minute meeting with the Vice President was initially unscheduled, maintained that the primary purpose of his meeting was to seek assurances that there would be no more delays in the announcement of the Cabinet.

"Pak Hamzah said that the cabinet draft was ready, but he did not elaborate on the structure or the names of the ministers," he remarked.

Amien further affirmed his unconditional support for whatever selection was made by the newly elected President, even if two of the proposed candidates from his party, rumored to be Bambang Sudibyo and Hatta Radjassa, were overlooked.

Amien, however, still seemed to be hopeful of getting an early preview of the Cabinet, saying that he and Hamzah were due to meet Megawati later on Wednesday evening.

After her appointment as President on July 23, Megawati said the Cabinet would be formed "in a few days". However, the drafting process has dragged on.

Megawati has made it quite clear throughout the process that while she is open to suggestions, the Cabinet will be of her own personal crafting with even officials from her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) being excluded from backroom consultation on its membership.

Candidates

Factual information remains limited, but what seems almost certain is that three coordinating ministers will be directing the Cabinet.

Observers have sought other hints to get an insight into the possible outcome, such as a meeting Hamzah had on Wednesday with Deputy Attorney General Soeparman. No official explanation was given about the meeting.

Megawati herself spent most of the day receiving guests at Jl. Teuku Umar where she has resided for the past year.

Among the guests were PDI Perjuangan members Laksamana Sukardi and Kwik Kian Gie along with dismissed National Awakening Party chairman Matori Abdul Djalil.

Some have said that Matori may be rewarded for his perceived siding with Megawati with a possible defense post, while Laksamana and Kwik are both being hotly tipped as potential candidates for the economics portfolio.

Separately, senior Golkar Party executive Syamsul Muarif maintained that he was did not know how many Golkar members would get ministerial seats.

He added that probably only party chairman Akbar Tandjung could answer that question.

"I'm sure that only the party leaders have been informed of the ministers' names," Syamsul, who is among those rumored to be a ministerial candidate, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

"Until now I don't know. Nobody has asked me to become a minister," Syamsul said adding that he and his colleagues often joked about the prospect of receiving the famous "presidential telephone call".

But he underlined that the most important aspect was that all political players stuck together in supporting the new government so that the ministers could work to get the country on its feet again.

Megawati's personal secretary Bambang Kesowo said on Wednesday that the Cabinet would be sworn in on Friday at 10 a.m.

Speaking to reporters he further denied speculation that he was influencing Megawati in the decision-making process.

"That's outrageous speculation," he remarked.

Separately, officials from the PDI Perjuangan reiterated that Megawati had shut the door on any possibility of people influencing her through backdoor channels.

"She has repeatedly said that all members should trust her in selecting her ministers. Even the major party leaders are being excluded from any discussion of the Cabinet," the official, who declined to be named, told the Post.

The official also said Megawati had stressed to the major political parties that she did not owe them anything. She maintained that her elevation to the presidency was a rightful and natural process carried out in accordance with the Constitution.(dja)