Susilo working on reshuffle, Silalahi says

Susilo working on reshuffle, Silalahi says

Rendi A. Witular and Ridwan Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

This year's edition of Idul Fitri holiday may not be as festive
compared to past years for a handful of Cabinet ministers.

Some of them may find it helpful to voluntarily extend their
fast for some divine intervention that will help them stay in
office.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will spend his time during
the holiday scrutinizing his aides' performance, a brand new,
measured procedure that could end up in a reshuffle of his
Cabinet.

Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said on Tuesday the President
had received progress reports from almost all of his aides.

"The President is now waiting on various sources for input;
either positive or negative," Sudi said at the presidential
office.

He would not reveal when the President would make public the
results of the performance appraisal of his ministers.

Susilo visited the Southeast Sulawesi capital of Kendari on
Tuesday, as part of his "Ramadhan safari".

Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono said the Cabinet members
had been given until Thursday to submit their progress reports,
which will be examined directly by the President.

"From Oct. 27 until sometime after Idul Fitri the President
will evaluate the reports submitted by each of the ministers,"
Juwono said. Idul Fitri will fall on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4.

Juwono denied rumors that he had tendered his resignation due
to ill health. "In the past six months I have gradually regained
my fitness," he said.

He had a mild stroke in 1999.

Despite his health status, Juwono said everything was up to
the President, who has the prerogative to appoint or dismiss his
Cabinet members.

"No problem," he said when asked if the President would drop
him from the Cabinet. "It (dismissal) can happen anytime."

He said he would submit his report on Thursday. In his report,
Juwono will highlight the markup practices during tenders to
procure defense equipment by both domestic and overseas partner
companies.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin submitted
his report on Tuesday, which details achievements of his office
over the past year compared to the set targets.

Hamid was deeply involved in the peace talks with the Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group between January and July, which
resulted in the historic signing on Aug. 15 of a Memorandum of
Understanding for the peaceful settlement of the conflict in the
province of Aceh.

His contribution to the peace deal, however, has been deemed a
liability by House of Representatives lawmaker Muhammad A.S.
Hikam, who demanded Hamid's dismissal for having neglected his
main job.

"His ministry is responsible for the House's failure to meet
the target of endorsing 55 bills this year," Hikam of the
National Awakening Party (PKB) exclaimed.

The ministry and the House are supposed to work together in
determining priority bills for each year.

"He dedicated his time to that peace negotiation (the Aceh
talks), which was actually the duty of the chief security
minister," said Hikam, who was formerly the research minister
under President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.