Only 5 of 14 ministers submit campaign leave
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Only five of the 14 Cabinet ministers registered as campaigners for the April 5 legislative election have notified the Cabinet Secretariat that they will take leave during the campaign period, a high-ranking official says.
However, even those who have informed the secretariat of their intentions had not decided on their campaign dates, making it difficult to schedule Cabinet meetings, Cabinet deputy secretary Erman Radjagukguk told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Under Government Regulation No. 9/2004 on general election campaigns by state officials, Cabinet ministers are permitted to take a leave of two consecutive days or three days with intervals.
The same regulation applies to Megawati and Hamzah, although they are not required to take official leave.
A total of 16 state officials, including President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz, have registered to campaign in the legislative election, which will be contested by 24 political parties.
State officials who have informed the Secretariat about their leave are: Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea, State Minister of Research and Technology M Hatta Rajasa, State Minister of Women's Empowerment Sri Redjeki Soemaryoto and State Minister of Communications and Information Syamsul Mu'arif.
Of these, only Yusril has set his campaign dates -- March 15 and March 26.
Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah and State Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises H Alimarwan Hanan have scheduled their campaigns on weekends and thus do not need to take leave from their state duties.
Other ministers, including Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, have not submitted their campaign plans, and have until Tuesday to notify the Secretariat.
"We are expecting complete schedules from all officials, including the President and Vice President, on Tuesday," Radjagukguk said.
National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief A.M. Hendropriyono is also listed as campaigner by the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), of which he is a consultative board member.
His nomination, however, has drawn strong opposition from political parties and analysts, who feared that Hendropriyono would make use of intelligence data to benefit the PDI-P and party chair Megawati.
Meanwhile, President Megawati and Vice President Hamzah have yet to discuss their election schedules. It is only known that neither will be in the capital on the first day of the campaign period.
Megawati, who is aiming for a full five-year term in the presidential election, will be in Gianyar, Bali, while Hamzah will be in Situbondo, East Java.
The two will conduct half-day campaigns and return to the capital after addressing their supporters.
Cabinet members listed as campaigners ---------------------------------------------------------------- Name Parties ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. President Megawati Soekarnoputri Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
2. Vice President Hamzah Haz United Development Party (PPP)
3. Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (Democratic Party)
4. Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla (Golkar Party)
5. Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra Crescent Star Party (PBB)
6. Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea PDI-P
7. Minister of Forestry M. Prakosa PDI-P
8. Minister of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno PDI-P
9. Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah PPP
10. State Minister of Research and Technology M. Hatta Rajasa National Mandate Party (PAN)
11. State Minister of Cooperatives and Small-Medium Enterprises Alimarwan Hanan PPP
12. State Minister of Women's Empowerment Affairs Sri Redjeki Soemaryoto Golkar
13. State Minister/Head of the National Development Planning Board Kwik Kian Gie PDI-P
14. State Minister of Revenues and State Companies Laksamana Sukardi PDI-P
15. State Minister of Communication and Information Syamsul Mu'arif Golkar
16. National Intelligence Agency A.M. Hendropriyono PDI-P