No hints still on the Cabinet lineup

No hints still on the Cabinet lineup

JAKARTA (JP): Speculations were abound on Sunday of tough
negotiations facing President Megawati Soekarnoputri who must
form a Cabinet that will have to accommodate the interests of her
political allies.

Megawati called a series of meetings on Sunday with key
officials of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), to discuss the Cabinet lineup.

PDI Perjuangan executives said Megawati also arranged talks
with Golkar Party chief Akbar Tandjung and National Mandate Party
chairman Amien Rais, the House of Representatives (DPR) speaker
and People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker respectively.
The meeting failed to materialize, however.

Chairman of Golkar faction at the DPR Syamsul Muarif confirmed
on Sunday that Akbar had planned to meet Megawati to discuss the
Cabinet lineup.

"The names of the party' members to be proposed for
ministerial posts are already in Akbar's hands," Syamsul told The
Jakarta Post.

While no official statement was given on the failed key
meeting, a source close to Amien said that Megawati would consult
him on the Cabinet lineup on another day.

Megawati is due to announce the new Cabinet line up within
this week and so far there have been no signals about the Cabinet
makeup.

The President is also scheduled to meet her deputy Hamzah Haz,
who also chairs the United Development Party (PPP), to finalize
the discussion of the Cabinet lineup on Monday.

Several media have reported that officials of the seven major
factions at the House that helped Megawati rise to the top had
submitted a proposal for the new Cabinet.

The seven factions were Golkar, PDI Perjuangan, PPP, the
Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Reform faction, the United
People's Sovereignty (PDU), and the Indonesian Nationhood (KKI).

Reports said the Cabinet is expected to have 36 ministers,
with 22 appointed from major political parties and the rest
selected from among professionals.

Some ministries which once were dissolved by former president
Abdurrahman Wahid, particularly the information and social
affairs ministries, will be reestablished, according to the
reports.

A PDI Perjuangan official said that Megawati had yet to
approve the proposal and had not made any commitment to other
political parties on the Cabinet lineup, saying it was the
President's prerogative to decide.

"Of course we will accommodate all parties but maybe we will
not approve the names nominated by the seven factions straight
away," the official, who declined to be named, said.

PPP secretary-general Alimarwan Hanan contended that the names
and the makeup of the new Cabinet were simply a suggestion and
the seven factions did not have any intention of forcing Megawati
to approve it.

"It is merely a proposal which Ibu Megawati is free to
consider. We are just waiting for her response now," Alimarwan
said.

Stance

Meanwhile, former presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar said
on Sunday that it would be better if all ministers that were on
Abdurrahman's last Cabinet did not join the new Cabinet under
Megawati.

"It is not a matter of supporting or not supporting the new
Cabinet, but it is important for people to declare their stance
before they join the Cabinet. So it is clear whose side they are
on," Wimar said.

He underlined that ministers should work with full loyalty to
the President and should some of the former ministers of
Abdurrahman join the new Cabinet, they should pledge their
allegiance to the new President.

Political observer Bara Hasibuan said that it would be better
that some political parties, especially Golkar, stay out of the
government and play the role of an opposition party to strengthen
the system of checks and balances.

He underlined that it would be worthless to have all parties
accommodated in the Cabinet but other members of the same party
who are part of the House continue to criticize the government.

"It would be better to have a clear separation between the
governing party and opposition party. However, currently it seems
that all parties simply want to grab the opportunity to have a
seat inside the Cabinet," Bara told the Post.

He underlined that the main point of including all parties is
to ensure support for the government until the end of its term.
He added that Megawati should learn from Abdurrahman, who tried
to satisfy the interests of all parties but failed to obtain
their support.

He further suggested that it was about time for Golkar to lead
the opposition, saying that such a move would restore its
tarnished image. (dja)