Support your new minister, says Susilo

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The message from the newly appointed Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Hari Sabarno was that the rift in the government, which led to the resigning of his predecessor, should have no effect on the performance of the office.

Hari, also the Minister of Home Affairs, said on Wednesday after the handover ceremony that he would prioritize security during the elections, in line with programs prepared by former minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his staff.

Susilo also urged his former staff members to support their new boss.

Hari, a former legislator representing the military and police faction, said, "We are concerned with law enforcement during the campaign period, to prevent political parties from unfair competition and many other things."

He added that other prominent issues included Aceh and terrorism.

"I hope to get more input over such issues in a staff meeting tomorrow (Wednesday)," Hari added.

Before officially resigning on March 11, the first day of the campaign period, he had tendered his resignation in a letter to President Megawati Soekarnoputri, implying that he had not been consulted on a number of policies related to his authority.

Susilo had earlier acknowledged he was running for the presidency. He appeared in television advertisements in his capacity as minister, urging peaceful elections, but some questioned whether the public service ads benefited his own aspirations.

Observers and fellow presidential hopeful Amien Rais said he should have resigned beforehand, to be able to compete openly against Megawati for the position as the country's sixth president.

Others however pointed out that Susilo was perceivably irresponsible in leaving matters unattended at a crucial time, such as the elections and the "integrated operation" to end separatism in Nanggroe Aceh Darrussalam.

One tip from Susilo to his substitute, which the retired general shared with the press earlier in the day, was that the extended martial law in Aceh, scheduled to end in May, should be lifted one day "to allow the Acehnese resume a normal life."

Representatives of the party nominating Susilo as president, the Democratic Party, have said that the troublesome province was expected to be among their largest sources of votes, drawing on the warm welcome Susilo received every time he visited Aceh in his capacity as minister.

At the briefing by the new minister and Susilo, all staff shook Susilo's hand and he could not hold back tears when one of his former colleagues praised him.