Proposed new Cabinet
Proposed new Cabinet
The likely winner of the country's first direct presidential
election, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has busied running mate Jusuf
Kalla with preparing a lineup of their Cabinet.
Most Jakarta dailies showed the future vice president in their
Sept. 22 issue flanked by supporters -- including Hidayat
Nurwahid of the Prosperous Justice Party and Alwi Shihab of the
National Awakening Party -- at a press conference. Hidayat had
announced that the future Cabinet would consist of professional
and credible individuals and would be announced on Oct. 20.
On a separate occasion, Yusril Ihza Mahendra of the Crescent
Star Party, another Susilo-Kalla supporter, said the future
Cabinet should be expanded by four new coordinating ministers, in
particular the Coordinating Minister for Law Enforcement and
Human Rights. This proposal is, of course, too subjective given
that Yusril was once himself a Minister of Justice and Human
Rights under the Megawati administration, and people might
perceive something "suspicious" behind it.
What people are keen to see is an active effort to stamp out
corruption in the first 100 days of Susilo's presidency, as urged
by Amien Rais, Todung Mulya Lubis and Hendardi (Kompas, Sept. 21
and Sept. 22), because this would ensure Susilo's credibility --
he had lived up to one of his campaign promises.
Meanwhile, Susilo's latest statement -- that if he were
elected the sixth president of Indonesia, he would not travel
abroad immediately, but would visit farmers, fishermen and the
conflict areas of Poso, Maluku, Papua and Aceh -- truly deserves
our support.
As for the proposed post of coordinating minister, in order to
prevent suspicions and strengthen efforts to stamp out
corruption, Susilo might consider the alternative of establishing
a coordinating minister for development supervision and
administrative reform, which existed under the Habibie
administration. While the choice is his, a strong and credible
individual -- hopefully, as credible as the late Baharuddin Lopa
-- would be the right candidate.
This senior Cabinet official's tasks will include coordinating
the National Police chief and the Attorney General, who are seen
not to have made any significant achievements in enforcing the
law over the last five years, particularly in eradicating
corruption.
These two institutions have been a stumbling block to efforts
by the present Minister of Administrative Reform to eradicate
corruption, as they had not followed up on reports of suspected
corruption cases.
M. RUSDI, Jakarta