SBY's allies seek more seats in the Cabinet
SBY's allies seek more seats in the Cabinet
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The political parties supporting the administration of Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono said on Tuesday they wanted more seats in any
reshuffled Cabinet -- something that is creating a headache for
the President who has been facing public pressure to choose
technocrats rather than politicians for key Cabinet posts.
The deputy chairman of Susilo's own Democrat Party (PD),
Muhammad Mubarok, said his party was given three seats in the
current Cabinet, and had asked for at least one more seat.
Secretary-general of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Annis
Matta said his party would have no objection if its three members
in the current Cabinet were replaced provided it obtained four
seats in the reshuffled Cabinet.
"We are seeking four seats, including a strategic portfolio,
to help this government improve its performance and cope with
major problems in the political, security and economic fields,"
he said.
The Golkar Party, which is led by Vice President Jusuf Kalla
and is seen as the major backer of the government with 128 seats
in the 550-seat House of Representatives, has also demanded that
Susilo appoint more of its members to the Cabinet.
In comparison, the PKS and PD respectively hold 45 and 55
seats in the House.
Golkar Party deputy chairman Burhanuddin Napitupulu said it
would be reasonable and acceptable if the President give more
Cabinet posts to Golkar people because of the party's crucial
role in supporting his government.
Golkar, which only switched from the opposition camp to the
Susilo camp after Kalla won the party's leadership, has two of
its members in the current Cabinet: Coordinating Minister for the
Economy Aburizal Bakrie and Minister of Manpower and
Transmigration Fahmi Idris.
Burhanuddin said that it was unfair that Golkar had only two
Cabinet posts, the same as the Crescent Star Party (PBB), which
only had 11 seats in the House.
Burhanuddin declined to say how many seats Golkar wanted in
the reshuffled Cabinet, but a party official who requested
anonymity said that the political vehicle of former president
Soeharto wanted eight Cabinet posts.
He said that Golkar's central board was full of qualified
people ready to occupy key Cabinet posts.
"Golkar's executive board is actually a pseudo-cabinet and its
members are ready to take up positions related to their own
fields of expertise," he said.
He said Tajudin Nur Said, Hari Ashari and Paskah Suzeta were
outstanding economists who were in charge of Golkar's economic
programs while Muladi and Andi Matalatta handled legal affairs.
"Marzuki Darusman is in charge of foreign affairs while
Burhanuddin Napitupulu chairs the transportation, tourism and
housing department," he said.
Facing increasing public pressure, the President, who
according to Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi is still evaluating
the record of his ministers, is expected to shake up his Cabinet.
Opinion polls have suggested that Susilo, the country's first
directly elected president, should not bow to political pressure,
and should instead pick professional people for the new Cabinet
lineup instead of politicians.
I-box
Politicians in current Cabinet
---------------------------------------------------------------
No. Party No of seats
---------------------------------------------------------------
1. Democrat Party (PD) 2
2. Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) 3
3. Crescent Star Party (PBB) 2
4. National Mandate Party (PAN) 2
5. United Development Party (PPP) 2
6. Golkar Party 2
7. National Awakening Party (PKB)* 2
Notes: * splinter group of PKB
Number of ministers in current Cabinet: 35
Source: The Jakarta Post