Minister Marzuki leads Cabinet exodus for MPR membership
Minister Marzuki leads Cabinet exodus for MPR membership
JAKARTA (JP): Having accepted his nomination as a member of
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Minister of Tourism,
Art and Culture Marzuki Usman submitted his resignation request
to President B.J. Habibie on Thursday.
Marzuki, also state minister of investment, told reporters the
President had given his approval, and said he would formally
leave the Cabinet a few days before the induction of new MPR
members on Oct. 1.
"Now I have been discharged from my current position, but I am
still regarded as a Cabinet member," said Marzuki after meeting
with Habibie at Merdeka Palace.
Meanwhile, Minister of Justice/State Secretary Muladi
indicated that four other ministers, including Coordinating
Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar
Kartasasmita, have expressed their wish to follow in Marzuki's
footsteps.
"I heard some issues about the coordinating minister," said
Muladi, after meeting with Habibie, referring to Ginandjar, who
has just arrived from New Zealand where he represented Habibie in
the Asia Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) meeting.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has nominated Marzuki
for the Assembly in his capacity as chairman of the Association
of Indonesian Economists (ISEI).
He was the third member of the 34-strong Cabinet to resign for
political reasons. Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung resigned as
minister/state secretary shortly before the general elections
campaign period in May to enable him to lead the party in the
elections, as required by law. United Development Party (PPP)
chairman Hamzah Haz also resigned as state minister of investment
for the same reason.
Habibie temporarily removed Lt. Gen. Andi M. Ghalib as
attorney general in May for alleged involvement in corruption.
Muladi said Minister of Manpower Fahmi Idris would also quit
from the Cabinet because Golkar has nominated him for the
Assembly. Golkar also plans to nominate State Minister of Public
Housing Theo Sambuaga, and State Minister of Youth Affairs and
Sports Agung Laksono. They will join the MPR as regional
representatives.
Ginandjar led a group of 14 Cabinet ministers in tendering
their resignations to then president Soeharto one day before the
latter's resignation on May 21, 1998. Their resignations shocked
Soeharto.
According to Muladi, the planned resignation of the ministers
will not affect the Cabinet's performance because the term of the
Cabinet ends soon after the presidential election on Nov. 10.
"At that time we (the Cabinet) no longer have much work to
do," said Muladi. (prb)