PAN proposes two candidates for Susilo's Cabinet

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.