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)