Megawati not consulted on Cabinet reshuffle

Megawati not consulted on Cabinet reshuffle

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri was not
asked for an opinion on the recent Cabinet reshuffle and will
refuse to take the blame for the consequences, her party's
executive said on Tuesday.

The deputy chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Roy B. Janis, told a media briefing
that for this reason Megawati found it unnecessary to attend the
induction ceremony of three new ministers and the new attorney
general at the State Palace.

Megawati presided over the party's regular weekly meeting at
its headquarters on Jl. Pecenongan, Central Jakarta when
President Abdurrahman Wahid inaugurated the new state officials.

"Ibu Megawati was not involved in the current Cabinet
reshuffle, so she will not take any responsibility if there are
problems following the decision," Roy said after the meeting.

On Tuesday, the President inaugurated Baharuddin Lopa as
attorney general, replacing Marzuki Darusman, and Marsilam
Simanjuntak, the current Cabinet secretary, as minister of
justice and human rights in place of Lopa.

Also sworn in were Rochmin Dahuri as minister of sea
exploration and fisheries, replacing Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, and
Budi Mulyawan Suyitno as minister of telecommunications and
transportation, who took over from Agum Gumelar.

Megawati ate lunch with all the members of the party's
executive board before heading for her official residence on Jl.
Teuku Umar at 3 p.m.

Roy dismissed speculation that PDI Perjuangan executives had
suggested or insisted that Megawati skip the event.

PDI Perjuangan secretary-general Sutjipto said the party top
brass discussed the controversial suspension of National Police
chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro and the appointment of his new
deputy, Insp. Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail, to take over his daily
duties.

"But we did not come to a conclusion on that matter,"
Sutjipto, who is also the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
deputy speaker, said.

The Vice President also missed the inauguration of Gen. (ret)
Agum as the coordinating minister for political, social and
security affairs, replacing Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
and Chaeruddin on Saturday.

Chaeruddin's appointment was the latest furor sparked by the
President, who declared that Bimantoro had bid for retirement.

Bimantoro looks set to lose his post the same way he obtained
it in September last year, when he was picked by the President
without the House's consent.

Many believe Abdurrahman's decision may have something to do
with his plan to declare a state of emergency status, which will
enable him to dissolve the House.

Abdurrahman is due to face an MPR special session on Aug. 1 as
demanded by the majority in the House.

Later on Tuesday, PDI Perjuangan executives received activists
from the Indonesian Forum for Peace (FID), a non-governmental
organization who urged all political parties to create a peaceful
environment ahead of the MPR special session.

One of the activists, Mar'ie Muhammad, said the public were
confused by the objectives of the special session and that all
parties should admit that the session may not be the answer to
the problems facing the country.

"An MPR special session is not everything. On the contrary, it
may create new problems if we are not careful in dealing with
it," former finance minister Mar'ie said. (dja)