Reappointment of ministers questioned
DEPOK, West Java (JP): Observers questioned the reappointment of some ministers despite blemished records and unfinished business during their service in the previous cabinet.
Eep Syaefullah Fatah of the University of Indonesia told some 300 students at a discussion here Wednesday that he doubted moral integrity was a criteria for the appointment of some ministers.
"There are some ministers that have a questionable integrity," said the head of the research and development department in the university's school of social and political sciences.
Economist Faisal Basri and Jusuf Syakir of the United Development Party were also speakers at the discussion.
Eep cited new State Minister of Food, Drugs and Horticulture Haryanto Dhanutirto and Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Abdul Latief as examples.
In the last cabinet, Haryanto was the former transportation minister, while Latief was the manpower minister.
In January 1996, then minister/state secretary Moerdiono said an investigation had found Haryanto guilty of using state funds for his own personal use but that he had since repaid the money.
The government did not reveal how much Haryanto had misused, saying only that a host of other allegations against him were untrue and that the case should be considered closed.
Latief came under fire last year after it was revealed that he used funds from the state workers insurance company, Jamsostek, to finance deliberations of the controversial manpower bill that his office sponsored. The bill was subsequently passed.
Latief acknowledged in December that he took Rp 2.8 billion (US$2.8 million at the current rate) of Jamsostek's funds to finance the deliberation. He later said that he was acting under instructions of President Soeharto.
Media reports cited documents indicating that Jamsostek provided Rp 7.1 billion for the deliberations, but Jamsostek president Abdillah Nusi has said the company designated Rp 3.1 billion for the purpose.
Cabinet ministers are accountable to the President alone. (byg)