President B.J. Habibie names new MPR members
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie has appointed 41 new members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to replace members who he retired, had resigned or passed away.
There was no explanation about the decision to retire existing members, all of whom were selected by former president Soeharto from functional groups to represent the dominant Golkar faction.
The list of those retired includes a number of cabinet ministers who served under Soeharto.
Among the most conspicuous names in the list of those replaced were two former home ministers Moch. Yogie S.M. and R. Hartono, former attorney general Singgih, former finance minister Fuad Bawazier, former central bank governor Soedradjat Djiwandono and former trade minister Muhamad (Bob) Hasan.
Among the incoming members are Habibie's cabinet ministers Farid Moeloek (health), Soleh Solahuddin (agriculture) and Boediono (national development planning), Bambang Soebianto (finance) and close aides including journalist Parni Hadi, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Sintong Panjaitan and international relations expert Dewi Fortuna Anwar.
The new members will be sworn in today, the MPR secretariat said.
A number of MPR members have resigned following public pressure to cleanse the assembly of all elements of corruption, collusion and nepotism.
Those who already tendered their resignation include the wives and children of serving or former government officials.
Golkar chairman Harmoko, whose wife was among the first to resign, has called on all Golkar representatives in the assembly and in the House of Representatives who owed their seats to their connections to resign rather than wait to be expelled.
The children of former President Soeharto have resisted calls for them to resign, with youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra insisting that he would only resign if his constituents in South Sumatra asked him to.
The following is the list of the new MPR members: Sayidiman Soerjohadiprojo; Farid A. Moeloek; Soleh Solahuddin; Boediono; Rachman Usman; Bambang Soebiyanto; Parni Hadi; Fachry Ali; Sintong Panjaitan; Solahuddin Wahid; Affan Gafar; Leo Nababan; Nasruddin Sumintapura; David Napitupulu; Hariman Siregar; Didik J. Rachbini; Dewi Fortuna Anwar; Yuniwati Maschun Sofwan; Christianto Wibisono; Uma Mansyur; Titi Edardono; Fauzi AR; Adiwarsita Adinegoro; James Tjahaya Riyadi; Setyanto P. Santoso; Barnabas Suebu; Marzuki Darusman; Sri Haryati Datuk; Soecipto; Chumaidi Syarief Romas; Fadli Hamzah; Tatto Prajamanggala; Muchlis R. Ludin; Salim Said; I Gusti Made Putera Astaman; Sumarno Dipodisastro; Tuti Sinsun Gondong; Mohammad Tohir; Eep Saifullah Fattah; Ismail Sunny and Sahala Parlindungan Napitupulu.
Those who were retired are: Moch. Yogie SM; Singgih; R. Hartono, Ruslan Diwiryo; Fuad Bawazier; Soedarjanto; Djiteng Marsudi; Sri Harini Christina; I Putu Gede Ary Suta; Achmad Tirtosudiro; A. Kadzim; Zainuddin MZ; Sutrisno Muchdam, I Putu Suranta Sukreta; Soelarso Sopater; Wachyu Santoso Hidayat; Soedradjat Djiwandono; Dorodjatun Kuntjorojakti; Didin Sastrapradja; Soeroso; Taufik Hidayat; Trulyanti Sutrasno; Nisma Chairil Bahri; Dati Kusmudiarti; Bonifatius Parmanto; Agus Sudono; Soemarni Mamooch Suryaningprang; Muhammad Hasan; Agus Gurlaya Kartasasmita; Arifin Panigoro; Anthony Salim; Faisal Abda'oe; Sampurno; Rinto Harahap; Hartini Hartarto; Amalia Sianti; Dwi Riawenny Nasution; Taufik Hidayat; Abdullah Azwar Anas; Aisjah Radjerig Pananrang and Victor I. Tanja. (emb/byg)