Search goes on for Cabinet choices

Search goes on for Cabinet choices

Tiarma Siboro
The Jakarta Post/Bogor

President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono interviewed economists,
businesspeople and incumbent Cabinet ministers on Saturday as he
beefed up the search for suitable candidates to join his Cabinet.

A total of six people were interviewed, but only three --
Minister for Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda and noted economist
Mari Elka Pangestu of the Centre for Strategic and International
Studies (CSIS) and former military chief for socio-political
affairs Lt. Gen. (ret) Muhammad Ma'ruf -- said they signed a
"pledge" to work hard and honestly.

The other three were businessmen Aburizal Bakrie and Rahmat
Gobel and current Minister for Research and Technology Hatta
Rajasa.

Noted economist Sri Mulyani, now working as International
Monetary Fund (IMF) executive director for Southeast Asia, was
scheduled to be interviewed on Saturday but apparently she had
not arrived from the United States. It is rumored that she would
be named minister of finance.

Susilo interviewed only four candidates on Friday -- sociology
lecturer Meutia Hatta, rector of Bandung Institute of Technology
(ITB) Kusmayanto Kadiman, a member of Susilo's campaign team
Sofyan Jalil and former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen.
(ret) Widodo A.S.

Prior to interviewing the eight ministerial candidates, Susilo
held a closed-door meeting with vice president-elect Jusuf Kalla
at his private residence in Cikeas, Bogor, West Java. Details of
the meeting were not made public.

Aburizal arrived at Susilo's residence at around 1:40 p.m. and
after an hour of discussion with the president-elect told the
press that they talked a lot about economic issues, including the
real and private sectors. It is rumored that Aburizal, who is
also the former chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (Kadin), would be appointed coordinating minister
for the economy.

Mari Pangestu arrived at 2:15 p.m. and met Susilo at around
2:50 p.m. Mari told reporters after the meeting that they
discussed national and international trade and how to deal with
the high unemployment rate and boost economic productivity.

"I shared my views with Pak Susilo on long- and short-term
programs for the economy. I told Pak Susilo how we can provide
facilities for the trading sector which seems to be facing
various problems," Mari said without going into detail.

Mari, who is now living with her family in the United States,
said Susilo contacted her directly on Thursday, asking her to
come over to his house. "We both have long been involved in a
series of discussion on economic issues, and ... it seems I can
understand his (economic) vision," Mari said.

She also said that she had signed a pledge to work hard and
honestly. "I have signed a contract, assuring the president-elect
that I'm ready to work hard and honestly," said Mari, who may
possibly be named minister of trade.

The third person to be interviewed was businessman Rachmat
Gobel.

"Pak Susilo asked my views on how domestic products can
compete in the global market and give added value to the domestic
economy, which has been plagued by crisis and how our industries
can compete under the WTO and AFTA agreements," said Rachmat, who
is known to be very close to Gen. (ret) Wiranto, who lost in the
first phase of the presidential election in July.

Minister Hassan arrived at around 4:30 p.m. and held a
discussion for one and a half hours with Susilo. He said he
discussed various international issues, including global
terrorist threats and bilateral and multilateral relations.

He also said that he had signed a "contract" promising to work
hard and honestly.

Hatta Rajasa, secretary-general of the National Mandate Party
(PAN), is the first politician to be interviewed by Susilo.

Hatta who said PAN submitted three names -- Hatta himself,
Bambang Sudibyo and Didiek J. Rachbini -- was unsure whether they
all would be interviewed.