People express hopes for the coming Cabinet

JAKARTA (JP): Different groups of people have expressed their own expectations of the lineup of the forthcoming Cabinet, which is reportedly to be announced on Wednesday.

In Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, speaker of the province's legislative council Djamaluddin Adam lamented on Saturday that nobody from his province had become a minister since the country declared independence 56 years ago.

"We've been waiting for 56 years, but no one from West Nusa Tenggara has ever been trusted with a Cabinet post, despite the fact that the province has many good people," Djamaluddin was quoted by Antara as saying. He cited examples such as the current Governor of West Nusa Tenggara, Harun Al Rasyid, political analyst Affan Gafar, Din Syamsuddin, a noted figure in Muhammadiyah (Muslim organization) and political observer Burhan Magenda.

"Therefore, the current administration must think about appointing a West Nusa Tenggara figure as minister. This is very important to avoid allegations that the province has been neglected like a "step-son".

Meanwhile, in Jakarta, Indonesian Women's Exponent (EPI) expressed its hope that around 20 percent of the new Cabinet would be women.

In an official statement read by one of its executives, former state minister of women's roles Sulasikin Murpratomo, the organization said that the appointment of Megawati Soekarnoputri as the new president was the right moment for women to join in the nation's development more actively.

"The reform movement will be nothing unless women's values and dignity are preserved. EPI demands that discrimination against women be eliminated," said Murpratomo.

Vice President Hamzah suggested on Friday that most ministers should be recruited from political parties in an effort to win the parties' support of the new government.

Chairman of the United Development Party's executive board Bachtiar Chamsyah hailed Hamzah, saying that political parties deserved more seats (in the Cabinet) than nonpartisan professionals.

Bachtiar said that his party would only get two seats, as the vice presidential post was already held by a party member. "The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle will only get five seats, instead of ten like it got in the past, because its chairperson has been elected president," he said.

While people were busy with the cabinet lineup, President Megawati Soekarnoputri was in Makassar, South Sulawesi, to officiate several projects on Saturday.

Freddy

In a related development, Indonesian Ambassador to Italy, Malta and Albania Freddy Numberi said in Palu, Central Sulawesi on Saturday that the new ministers must be free from the political clout of the New Order regime.

"They must posses excellent moral and professional track records," he said, disregarding some people's hope that 60 percent of ministerial posts could be filled by politicians and 40 percent by nonpartisan professionals.

After speaking at a seminar on development on Saturday, Freddy expressed his confidence that President Megawati Soekarnoputri had a good "sense of consideration" when asking people to join her Cabinet.

Freddy, who hails from the easternmost province of Irian Jaya, had joined Abdurrahman Wahid's Cabinet as state minister of administrative reform for eight months.

"For me once is enough," he said, when asked about his chances of being reappointed a minister.

Another refusal came from Hidayat Nurwahid, chairman of the Justice Party when he was offered the post of minister for religious affairs.

"We (the party) thank those offering me the post. But we have pledged not to get involved directly with the Cabinet. We want to dedicate our best to the nation without joining the Cabinet," Antara quoted him as saying on Saturday. He didn't reveal who offered him the post.

The party's then chairman, Nurmahmudi Ismail, had been appointed minister of forestry by former president Abdurrahman.

"This had resulted in divisions among party officials," Hidayat said. (24/sur)