Presidential campaigning has impact on government activities

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta

Monday's Cabinet meeting chaired by President Megawati Soekarnoputri was a rare occasion during the campaigning period for presidential candidates, who include the incumbent and Vice President Hamzah Haz.

Staying in Jakarta on average only twice a week during the month-long campaigning period, Megawati last presided over a Cabinet meeting on oil and gas prices earlier this month.

"We tried to squeeze state affairs into her busy campaign schedule by allocating two days a week for her to stay in the capital," a state secretary official said over the weekend.

Officials have said it has been difficult, ahead of the July 5 presidential election, to present paperwork to the President on several planned regulations or decrees.

"Although daily paperwork continues as usual to be delivered to the President, some decisions need to be made within the Cabinet," said the official, requesting anonymity.

As in the previous campaigning period before the April legislative election, the government has effectively been dormant, as the President, Vice President and several ministers have been busy with their party campaigns.

Megawati has been nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Hamzah by the United Development Party (PPP).

In the current campaigning period, which ends on July 1, officials from different parties have also been assigned by their political parties to support their respective presidential candidates.

With an expected runoff in the presidential election in September, a new government is expected only in October.

The Cabinet has seen the withdrawal of minister of communications Agum Gumelar, who became Hamzah's running mate, and before that the resignation of coordinating minister of people's welfare Jusuf Kalla, who is the running mate of former chief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhyono.

As stipulated by government regulation No.19/2004 on state officials joining campaigns, the president and vice president have 15 days of leave for campaigning.

The other ministers, apart from those who resigned, have three days of leave to participate in campaigning.

Many have questioned the effectiveness of the Cabinet, from the legislative campaign period at the end of March, through the current period to the establishment of the new government in October.

With only a few months to go, "there is not much that we can do," a high-ranking official said.