Pressures mount for more Cabinet shake-up

JAKARTA (JP): Although there has been no confirmation of swirling reports of an impending Cabinet reshuffle, leading politicians said on Friday that President Abdurrahman Wahid should fire incompetent ministers.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said the President should dismiss ministers who failed to perform up to expectations.

But the party's faction chairman Dimyati Hartono said the changes should be minor. "A major reshuffle is not needed. We have to give more opportunities to the ministers to work and show their performance.

"The government has not made significant progress so far because it has had to deal with problems inherited from previous regimes."

The United Development Party (PPP) said several ministers failed to make headway in their duties since their appointment in October.

"There is even a minister who constantly faces protests over his past business practices. His presence will affect the Cabinet's overall performance," chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Rusydi Hamka said.

The Golkar Party also supported giving the ax to poorly performing ministers.

"Of course, it is the President's prerogative, but he should heed the aspirations of the people," Slamet Effendy Yusuf said.

Abdurrahman was dismissive when asked to comment on the rumors.

"That is just some people talking," he said in Yogyakarta.

Speculation was boosted after the President suspended Gen. Wiranto from his post as coordinating minister for political affairs and security and Ali Rahman resigned as secretary of state on Monday.

Wiranto is the subject of an ongoing official investigation into his alleged role in the violence in East Timor in September. Ali tendered his resignation amid media allegations that he accepted bribes when he was an official of the National Development Planning Board.

Digging up dirt on ministers' past indiscretions appears to have become a favorite media pursuit.

Recent target

The most recent target was Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industry Kwik Kian Gie, who reportedly held shares in a Jakarta massage parlor.

Kwik confirmed the ownership, but said the shares were business loan collateral transferred to him when the debtors defaulted.

Minister of Industry and Trade Jusuf Kalla and Minister of Manpower Bomer Pasaribu have also been the target of allegations of past misconduct.

Even his close aides are not sure if the President, notorious for his unpredictability, will make changes to the Cabinet soon.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab believed the President would give his ministers six months in order to evaluate their performance.

"But this is only my analysis, not what the President thinks," said Alwi, regarded as one of the Abdurrahman's confidants.

Alwi said he was particularly offended by a Republika daily report on Friday, speculating the President would appoint him Indonesia's ambassador to the United Nations and that he would be replaced by Marzuki Darusman, currently the attorney general.

"I question the intention of the daily," he said, terming the report malicious.

Rumors of a reshuffle persisted among politicians and pundits on Friday, and even some Cabinet ministers, speaking on the condition of anonymity, joined in the speculation.

Director of RiDep research institution Hermawan Sulistyo said the President did not select his ministers based on skill or competence, but more on political accommodation of the various political groups that ensured his election.

If he was forced to reshuffle the Cabinet now, he should replace ministers who lacked managerial skills and those who continued to pursue their own narrow political interests, Hermawan said.

An analyst in politics at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Pratikno, predicted difficulty for the President to make changes to the Cabinet without consulting the sponsors of each of the ministers.

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leaders Said Aqiel Siraj and Noer Iskandar al-Barsany said Abdurrahman should replace Presidential Secretary Ratih Kaniawan Hardjono with a member of the Muslim organization.

Ratih, a former Kompas journalist, has been the subject of several newsmagazines' cover stories in recent weeks which have focused on her influence over the President.

Critics have also accused her of being an agent of the Australian government. Ratih told legislators on Thursday that she was willing to face her accusers in court.

"It's better to get rid of Ratih to avoid more negative publicity," Noer Iskandar said. (44/45/emf/rms/edt/prb/04)