Mega's Cabinet still has potential flaws: Sjahrir

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)