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)