New cabinet shows TNI still has clout: Observer

JAKARTA (JP): Contrary to popular opinion, or wishes, the Indonesian Military (TNI) continued to exert influence, albeit not as decisive as in the past, in the selection of the new Cabinet, military observer Salim Said said.

The inclusion of five active officers showed that TNI still had strong political bargaining powers, Salim said.

"TNI is still playing a strong role in politics," he told The Jakarta Post by phone.

The 35-strong Cabinet includes three Army and two Navy high- ranking officers: Gen. Wiranto as the coordinating minister for political and security affairs, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the mines and energy minister, Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar as the transportation minister, Rear Adm. Freddy Numberi as the state minister for state administrative reforms and Adm. Widodo A.S. as the TNI chief. Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja is a retired Army lieutenant general.

In announcing the Cabinet on Tuesday, President Abdurrahman Wahid said ministers were selected after a political bargaining process involving all the major political forces in the country, including TNI.

TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sudrajat, however, denied the military used its political clout to secure Cabinet seats.

"Their inclusion had nothing to do with bargaining power. They were selected based on merits. The military is proud of them because it has succeeded in producing capable officers to serve the people," he said in Bandung on Wednesday.

Sudrajat reiterated TNI's commitment toward reform, which included a return to its main function in security and defense.

Salim agreed that the Cabinet lineup reflected a decline in military influence in politics.

He cited the removal of Wiranto from the twin post of defense portfolio and TNI chief to a new, less powerful Cabinet position as one example. All the other officers were also assigned nonpolitical and strategic posts, he said.

The biggest surprise was the naming of Juwono Sudarsono, a civilian, to head the Ministry of Defense, he said.

In the past, the post was given to active or retired senior military officers.

"We will wait and see whether a civilian can exert influence in the military's internal reform," he said.

Salim expected all active generals to resign from the military before taking up their Cabinet posts as required by a ruling.

Adm. Widodo will be exempted from the ruling, which was introduced by Gen. Wiranto in April.

"The generals should be consistent with TNI's ruling which says officers are allowed to take jobs outside the military only after they leave military service," he said.

Salim said the appointment of a Navy officer to lead TNI could create some psychological strain, albeit not a serious one, within the Army, which has always held the number one job.

"This is part of the military's internal reform. The three forces -- Army, Navy and Air Force -- have equal rights and opportunities to occupy the top job," he said.

He said Widodo's appointment bode well for the President's desire to build a stronger Navy to help maintain Indonesia's territorial waters and allow the country to tap its maritime resources.

Meanwhile, some 50 university students staged a peaceful and noisy demonstration at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta, objecting the continued military participation in politics as reflected in the new Cabinet.

"The presence of five military officers proves the continued military dominance in the government," Ari Wibowo, the secretary- general of the University of Indonesia's executive student body (BEM-UI), said.

The students, who used the banner of the Indonesian Students Network (JMI), came from the University of Indonesia, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), Trisakti University and Jakarta State University.

Ari said President Abdurrahman should have recruited people with professional competence for the Cabinet.

"Only with professional ministers will the government be able to solve the current social and economic problems and to lead people toward a new Indonesia," he said.

New Indonesia was a theme used by Megawati Soekarnoputri in her inauguration speech as vice president last week.

Ari said the student movement would give the new government 100 days before considering its next move.

"If the Cabinet fails in its task within 100 days, then we will take to the streets again to demand a reshuffle," he said.

During the one-hour protest, the students, who wore their respective university jackets, chanted, "Reject the military." (43/rms/asa)