Support your new minister, says Susilo

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.