SBY still tight-lipped on Cabinet reshuffle
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Yesterday marked exactly one year since President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono officially took office on Oct. 20, 2004. However, no special events were arranged to celebrate his first year in power as sporadic protests against the recent fuel price hikes continued across the country.
Nor did the President have anything to say about a reshuffle of his "United Indonesia Cabinet".
Presidential spokesman Andi Alfian Mallarangeng said Susilo would fully evaluate the performances of all his ministers before making any decision on a reshuffle.
"A Cabinet reshuffle will depend on the results of the ongoing evaluations. And whether he will do so or not is entirely his prerogative," Andi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Susilo has repeatedly said he would conduct an annual evaluation of the performances of his ministers and that those performing poorly would be replaced.
A survey conducted by the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) recommended on Wednesday that Susilo reshuffle his Cabinet due to perceived poor performance on the part of some of its members.
Although most of 1,000 respondents surveyed trusted Susilo's abilities to lead the nation but were disappointed with his economic ministers following fuel price increases averaging 126 percent.
Other polls carried out by the Indonesian Survey Institute and the Kompas daily also revealed similar results, with many sides calling for a Cabinet reshuffle.
Andi said the fuel hikes were the result of external factors that adversely affected the government and nation. "These problems, including the devastating tsunami in Aceh, bird flu and the latest Bali bombings, are beyond our control."
Meanwhile, Susilo visited South Kalimantan on Thursday to attend a gathering to celebrate Nuzulul Qur'an (the revelation of the Koran) at the Sabilah Muhtadin Grand Mosque in Banjarmasin.
The President, who was accompanied by his wife Kristiani Herrawati, also held an ifthar breaking-the-fast dinner with poor people at the same mosque.