Megawati 'neglecting affairs of state'

Megawati 'neglecting affairs of state'

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta

An expert accused President Megawati Soekarnoputri and her
ministers on Sunday of neglecting their state duties over short-
termed political gains, saying that many problems needed urgent
solutions.

He charged that the government had not been functioning
properly since the President, Vice President Hamzah Haz and
Cabinet ministers started campaigning for their respective
parties ahead of the April 5 legislative elections.

"With many high-ranking officials on the campaign trail, the
government has become even more ineffective," University of
Indonesia political analyst Arbi Sanit told The Jakarta Post on
Sunday.

Aside from Megawati, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI-P), and Hamzah, chairman of the United
Development Party (PPP), several Cabinet ministers were actively
involved in the campaigns for the April 5 legislative elections
and July 5 presidential election.

They include State Minister for Research and Technology Hatta
Radjasa, State Minister for Information and Communications
Syamsul Muarif, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza
Mahendra, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea,
and Minister of Trade and Industry Rini Soewandi.

Their involvement in the election campaigns has effectively
reduced the number of both plenary and limited Cabinet meetings.

Many have been questioning the effectiveness of the government
since March as Megawati was rarely at the capital. During the 30
days of the presidential campaign, she only presided over one
plenary Cabinet meeting.

Deputy Cabinet Secretary Erman Radjagukguk said that it was
true that the President had yet to sign several presidential
letters for the government to submit bills to the House.

"The reason why we have not sent those bills to the House is
because the relevant ministers have yet to discuss them," Erman
told the Post.