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)