Mega's Cabinet still has potential flaws: Sjahrir

JAKARTA (JP): Amid enthusiastic responses for President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Gotong Royong Cabinet from many parties, the New Indonesia Alliance (PIB) reminded on Monday that the Cabinet still contains potential problems.

PIB chairman and noted economist Sjahrir said that a positive response to the Cabinet was given by the market without predicting whether it could demonstrate good performance within the next three months.

"The political parties support Megawati's Cabinet. It (the support), however, has yet to be an indication that the Cabinet has strong credibility and, as such, that appraisal is still temporary.

"As soon as the Cabinet shows unsatisfactory performance, especially in supporting an economic recovery and law enforcement, the market will become negative," Sjahrir said after announcing the results of PIB's recent survey conducted in 11 major cities throughout the country to gather a preliminary public opinion regarding the Cabinet.

Sjahrir explained that the survey encompassed 600 respondents from Jakarta, Bandung (West Java), Yogyakarta, Semarang (Central Java), Denpasar (Bali), Padang (West Sumatra), Makassar (South Sulawesi), Manado (North Sulawesi), Medan (North Sumatra), Surabaya (East Java) and Pontianak (West Kalimantan).

Sjahrir said respondents believed the Cabinet would be able to bring the country out of the current economic crisis as well as uphold law enforcement.

"About 69.4 percent of respondents to the survey praised Megawati for her ability to establish a good team of economic ministers who understand and are capable of solving the country's economic problems," Sjahrir said, adding that nearly 50 percent of the respondents believed that the appointment of Yusril Ihza Mahendra as the minister of justice was appropriate.

Sjahrir, however, disclosed that some respondents expressed their doubt as to whether Megawati could resolve the complicated legal problems as indicated by the delay in the appointment of the attorney general.

"Respondents said that a good relationship between the Ministry of Justice and the attorney general will determine whether the Cabinet manages to uphold law enforcement. People are wondering whether Mega will appoint the right figure to fill the post, as she, until now, has yet to announce criteria for the post," he said.

Sjahrir further said that the appointment of Rini M.S. Soewandi and A.M. Hendropriyono, as the minister of industry and trade and chief of the National Intelligence Agency respectively, had the potential to raise conflicts of interest in the Cabinet.

"Rini is a businesswoman who operates in three major business sectors -- automotive, information technology and financial security -- even though Megawati appointed her in such a 'blind trust' position in order to avoid such a conflict of interest.

"Hendropriyono is a member of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan). He is also a founder and owner of the Hendropriyono Law Office, which gives legal assistance to soldiers charged with human rights violations. It's so complicated," Sjahrir said.

He suggested that Hendro -- who is to control about 400 intelligence officers in charge of collecting, processing and providing data to be presented to Megawati -- resign from PDI Perjuangan in order to maintain professionalism in the collation of state intelligence and not "party intelligence".

"Hendro must also close his law firm, or resign from it, if the government wants to seriously handle the human rights violation cases," Sjahrir added. (tso)