Ministers accept Cabinet shake-up

Ministers accept Cabinet shake-up

JAKARTA (JP): With the Cabinet revamp countdown ticking on,
ministers expressed no resistance to their destiny on Thursday.

Some of them exhibited traces of tension before and after
attending the weekly Cabinet meeting presided over by President
Abdurrahman Wahid at Bina Graha presidential office.

Abdurrahman has repeatedly hinted another shake-up in his
Cabinet, after sacking five ministers within just seven months of
his tenure.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab even boasted on
Thursday that he was ready to be jailed if he was found guilty of
committing a crime.

"I can spend my days by reading the Koran during my
imprisonment," Alwi said and burst into laughter.

Minister of Law and Legislation Yusril Ihza Mahendra just
replied: "No problem," when asked how he would feel if the
President asked him to leave his post.

He reminded journalists that he had once tendered his
resignation to the President following allegations that, in his
capacity as the chairman of the Crescent and Star Party (PBB), he
received Rp 1 billion from then president B.J. Habibie to finance
his election campaign.

Citing an old saying, State Minister of Cooperatives, Small
and Medium Enterprises Zarkasih Nur, emphasized there was a time
to come and a time to leave.

"As I was ready to be appointed, I am also ready to be
discharged," said Zarkasih before attending the Cabinet meeting.

Zarkasih is the only remaining minister representing the
United Development Party (PPP) in the Cabinet.

The party chairman, Hamzah Haz, was the first minister to lose
his seat in the Cabinet. Abdurrahman sacked Hamzah only one month
after his appointment as coordinating minister for people's
welfare and poverty alleviation.

Speaking to journalists Tuesday in Cairo, Abdurrahman insisted
that he would dismiss the representatives of political parties in
the Cabinet in August, shortly after the People's Consultative
Assembly annual meeting.

The President complained that many of the ministers are more
loyal to their parties than to him as the head of state.

"After being appointed cabinet ministers, they must abandon
party interests, and work for the sake of the country," Zarkasih
commented about Abdurrahman's remark.

When the Cabinet was formed in October, Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which topped the votes table
in last year's general election, placed four cadre -- Kwik Kian
Gie as the coordinating minister for the economy, finance and
industry, Laksamana Sukardi as state minister of investment and
state enterprises development, M. Prakosa as minister of
agriculture, and Soni Keraf as state minister of environment --
in the Cabinet.

PDI Perjuangan lost Laksamana late in April, while Golkar saw
Yusuf Kalla dismissed as minister of industry and trade.

Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, who is also speaker of the
House, promoted four colleagues, including Attorney General
Marzuki Darusman and State Minister of Youths Affairs and Sports
Mahadi Sinambela.

"Do you have any choice?" Mahadi replied when journalists
asked what he would do if the President dismissed him.

The National Mandate Party chairman Amien Rais has been able
to retain three party members in the Cabinet, including Minister
of Finance Bambang Sudibyo and Minister of National Education
Yahya Muhaimin.

"I am ready to face all possibilities. Why should I worry?"
Bambang said on the sidelines of a hearing with the House of
Representatives.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) has five senior inactive
officers in charge as ministers. They are Minister of Home
Affairs Lt. Gen. (ret.) Surjadi Soedirdja, Minister of Mines and
Energy Lt. Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister of
Transportation Lt. Gen. (ret) Agum Gumelar, State Minister of
Administrative Reform Vice Adm. (ret) Freddy Numberi and the
Indonesian Military Chief Admiral Widodo A.S..

The military lost Gen. (ret.) Wiranto as coordinating minister
in February but earned another ministerial post when Lt. Gen.
(ret.) Luhut Panjaitan was appointed in April to replace Kalla.

Abdurrahman, the National Mandate Party (PKB) co-founder, even
added to his four-member team, including Minister of Foreign
Affairs Alwi Shihab, and State Minister of Women Affairs Khofifah
Indar Parawansa, to five, with the promotion of Rozy Munir as
Laksamana's successor.

"If the President decides to dismiss me, it means he makes his
best decision," Khofifah said about her possible dismissal. (prb)