PAN proposes two candidates for Susilo's Cabinet
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The National Mandate Party (PAN) has proposed two candidates for ministerial posts in the Cabinet of would-be president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
PAN deputy secretary Yasin Kara said party leader Amien Rais had proposed M. Hatta Radjasa and Bambang Sudibyo to Susilo during their last meeting at Amien's Yogyakarta residence before the Sept. 20 election runoff.
"There has been no written recommendation, but verbally the matter has been conveyed," Yasin said on Tuesday as quoted by Antara.
Hatta is the current Minister of Research and Technology and ad interim Minister of Communications, while Bambang served as finance minister under former president Abdurrahman Wahid, whom Megawati replaced in 2001.
"The two candidates are quite representative and Pak Amien appears to be consistent in their nomination," Yasin said.
He said Bambang, a former chairman of the Indonesian Economists Association, could also be considered a representative of Muhammadiyah, the country's second largest Muslim organization.
PAN decided to be neutral during the runoff, but allowed deputy leader Andi Mappetahang Fatwa to campaign for Susilo and his running mate Jusuf Kalla in an individual capacity.
Susilo has said he would focus on a Cabinet lineup after the General Elections Commission (KPU) announced the official election result on Oct. 5, and would unveil it on Oct. 20, when the next president is to be inaugurated.
"I realize that the people are anxious to know about the structure and composition of the Cabinet. But please be patient and not be tempted by misleading rumors," Susilo told the crowd that packed his private residence in Cikeas, Bogor, on Tuesday.
People from across the country have swarmed to Susilo's house ever since it became clear that he would garner majority votes in the runoff.
The KPU's computerized vote-count showed on Tuesday that the Susilo-Kalla pairing had won 60.9 percent of 110 million votes counted, compared to Megawati-Hasyim Muzadi's 39.1 percent.
Separately, Kalla said Susilo's Cabinet would comprise up to 32 members, with professionals making up 60 percent and the rest going to political parties.
The current Cabinet consists of 30 ministers and three officials of a ministerial rank.
Kalla said that those who would fill the ministerial posts were still being discussed.
He also said Susilo and his confidants were still discussing whether or not to maintain the posts of coordinating minister.
Observers have suggested that the three coordinating minister posts be scrapped for the sake of efficiency, as the senior ministers did not contribute to the government's performance.
When asked about the possibility of including members of the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in Susilo's Cabinet, Kalla said: "Did the two parties support our bid? Any Cabinet should be backed by the parties that supported its presidential candidate."
Golkar, PDI-P and a number of minor political parties formed the Nationhood Coalition in mid-August to support Megawati's bid for a full five-year term.
Now, with Susilo leading the polls, the future of the coalition hangs by a thread and is in peril of dissolving, with Golkar split into pro-Megawati and pro-Susilo camps.
Coalition members, however, have said they would decline Susilo's offers of ministerial posts and instead be an opposition force in the House of Representatives.