More criticism rains down on new Cabinet

More criticism rains down on new Cabinet

JAKARTA (JP): The new cabinet lineup on Thursday again came
under a barrage of criticism from observers and politicians who
expressed misgivings about the Cabinet's ability to cooperate
with the Vice President whom the president has claimed will be
tasked with handling the daily affairs of government.

Most observers remarked that the cabinet was almost wholly
comprised of confidants of President Abdurrahman Wahid with
little input being drawn from Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Political analyst Ichlasul Amal, rector of Gadjah Mada
University in Yogyakarta, said there would be a "psychological
distance" between Megawati and the ministers whom Megawati is not
familiar with.

Amal said President Abdurrahman's decision to recruit "his
men" was, however, constitutionally correct. But, he said, the
President will now have to face political consequences from
disgruntled elements in the House of Representatives.

"The President can no longer blame his ministers for not being
loyal enough to him, or for lacking coordination if in the future
they fail to perform well," he said.

But Amal also speculated that Abdurrahman might have his own
plan with the surprising composition of the cabinet saying "maybe
Gus Dur wants ministers whom he or Megawati can easily control."

In Jakarta, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) Deputy Secretary-General Pramono Anung claimed
Megawati seemed disappointed with the composition of the new
Cabinet.

"It (her disappointment) could be seen from her body
language," Pramono told reporters on Thursday.

But he denied that the disappointment would create deeper
friction between Megawati and Abdurrahman.

He accused Gus Dur, as the President is popularly known, of
violating political ethics by not accommodating the major
political parties which support him.

PDI Perjuangan Secretary-General Soetjipto also doubted that
Megawati was involved in the drafting of the final Cabinet lineup
and may have only provided input concerning the cabinet
structure.

"Megawati was not fully involved in the formation of the
Cabinet," Soetjipto, who is also deputy speaker of the People's
Consultative Assembly, said.

He rejected the view that a widening rift would emerge as
Megawati was loyal and would continue to work for the sake of the
nation.

"Megawati can work together with people from different
backgrounds, not just with people from the same party," he said.

From Semarang, Central Java, Diponegoro University political
observer Tri Cahyo Utomo said the new cabinet was weak in the
political and economical fields because it was dominated by
cadres from the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the military.

"The resistance against the cabinet will be much greater as
two major parties, Golkar and PDI Perjuangan, are not
represented," Tri said.

Meanwhile Jendral Soedirman University Rector Rubiyanto Misman
said Abdurrahman was putting everything on the line by not
involving the political parties in the new cabinet.

"If later on, the cabinet fails to prove that it can work
well, then it will be the end for Abdurrahman," Rubiyanto told
The Jakarta Post in Purwokerto, Central Java on Thursday.

The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI)
condemned the appointment of Lt.Gen. (ret.) Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono whom they alleged may have been involved in the
notorious July 27, 1996 attack of the PDI Perjuangan headquarters
in Jakarta.

"His new post in the government, gives him a strategic
position and influence in the decision-making process. It is now
doubtful if he will undergo legal investigation," PBHI Chairman
Hendardi said in a written statement.

The Deputy Secretary General of the National Mandate Party
(PAN) Bara Hasibuan said Abdurrahman had abused the public's
trust and the presidential prerogative in determining the cabinet
lineup.

"This is very dangerous, because he made a political bargain
at the expense of the public which will assuredly lead to public
distrust. We will not have conducive conditions for economic
recovery," he told the Post.

However, Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Adm. Widodo A.S. said
that TNI will fully support the new cabinet.

"TNI will give total support to the new cabinet appointed by
the government. The main objective of this support is to
encourage the government in solving the crisis and creating more
conducive conditions in the country," a statement from TNI
Headquarters quoted Widodo as saying on Thursday.

On the appointment of Mahfud MD as the new defense minister
replacing Juwono Sudarsono, Widodo said that the government
trusted Mahfud to concentrate on determining main defense
policies and improving the professionalism of the military.

"TNI will have a good and cooperative relationship with
whoever is appointed as defense minister," Widodo said.

Separately, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto said that
TNI will accept anyone as defense minister as long as he can
cooperate with the military.

"For us, whoever the minister of defense is makes no
difference as long as we can cooperate well together in creating
a system of defense and in implementing defense strategies,"
Tyasno said. (44/45/har/jun/dja)