Muladi named as powerful state secretary

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie has named Minister of Justice Muladi as the new minister/secretary of state, a powerful post similar to the chief of staff at the White House in the U.S.

The post was vacated at the weekend after Akbar Tandjung tendered his resignation in order to campaign for Golkar.

Akbar, chairman of the ruling party, was forced to resign in compliance with a regulation by the General Election Commission (KPU) that cabinet ministers cannot campaign in the elections.

Habibie, who is scheduled to meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Batam on May 20, announced the development in his cabinet to journalists at the State Palace on Monday morning.

Muladi, a law professor, was chosen for the job because of his deep knowledge about the law, Habibie said, adding that he was needed to process the various legislations now being prepared by the State Secretariat.

The President also announced the appointment of Marzuki Usman, concurrently minister for tourism, art and culture, as minister of investment, replacing Hamzah Haz.

Hamzah also resigned on the weekend to campaign for the United Development Party (PPP) which he chairs.

Habibie said Marzuki was the best person to replace Hamzah due to his vast experience as chairman of the Capital Market Supervisory Agency (Bapepam) and Indonesian Economists Association (ISEI).

Both Muladi and Marzuki retain their other cabinet posts.

"There is no cabinet reshuffle," Habibie said in the short statement. Habibie's administration will serve until the formation of the new government after the June 7 elections.

"There is a strong relation between investment and tourism," said Marzuki after meeting with Habibie at Merdeka Palace.

The ban against ministers campaigning in the election was instituted by the commission because of widespread abuses of official positions and facilities in the past.

Separately, a visibly upset Hamzah told the media the election commission had not been fair because its 48 members, representing the 48 poll contestants, were allowed to campaign while continuing to hold their posts.

"If they are gentlemen, they (the KPU members) must also resign from the post when they start campaigning for their parties," Hamzah said after meeting with Habibie.

The commission chairman, Rudini, has promised the body would discuss the possibility of banning KPU members from campaigning in a meeting on Wednesday.

Soon after meeting with Habibie, Muladi directly inspected the State Secretariat office, which is located adjacent to the State Palace. He said he might move from his current office in the ministry's building on Jl. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, to the state secretariat.

Muladi said he would still be given the same salary, retain the one car he was already given, but would need two secretaries now.

"You must be careful with me now," he joked to journalists.

Meanwhile State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin reportedly has said he would also resign because his party, United Development Party (PPP), also wants him, as a legislature candidate, to campaign.

"Because Pak AM is also nominated for the legislative post, he is required to campaign, therefore he must also retire from the cabinet," Hamzah noted.

Antara however, quoted Saefuddin as saying in Bandung, West Java, he would not leave the cabinet because he would not campaign for PPP despite his nomination for the legislature.

"The ministerial position is now something that is so close to my heart that I decided to remain as minister until the end of cabinet term," Saefuddin said.

He said KPU only bars a minister to campaign. He did not mention his party rule that he must also campaign for his party. (prb/emb)