VP receives newly appointed ministers
JAKARTA (JP): Despite her cool reaction to the appointment of new ministers and non-attendance at their induction, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri was ready not only to meet with them but also give them instructions.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Gen. (ret.) Agum Gumelar proudly disclosed that the Vice President had ordered him to resolve the workers' protest against the controversial decision of Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Alhilal Hamdi.
"That's right. Ibu Vice President asked me to deal with the workers' case. Therefore on Friday I will meet with the minister of manpower," Agum said, after attending the swearing-in of three ministers at the State Palace.
Megawati has repeatedly demonstrated her displeasure with the President. She has refused to attend Cabinet meetings, and twice skipped the swearing-in of new ministers. She has even turned down three times Abdurrahman's wish to have breakfast with her, including the last one on Wednesday.
Apart from meeting with Agum, the Vice President received the new Minister of Finance Rizal Ramli.
Rizal himself told reporters about the meeting. "I reported to the Vice President about my new assignment. She said 'thank you' to me".
She also met with Minister of Communications Budhi Muliawan Suyitno, who was appointed as the replacement for Agum two weeks ago.
On Thursday, she is scheduled to preside over a limited economic ministerial meeting to discuss plans to raise both the price of fuel and electricity rates.
"The sooner the better," Rizal quoted Megawati's stance about the proposed increases.
In Megawati's absence, the President inducted Rizal, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Burhanuddin Abdullah, and State Minister for Administrative Reforms Anwar Supriyadi at the State Palace on Wednesday.
Some of the military top brass sent their deputies to the State Palace for the ceremony.
In his brief speech, Abdurrahman sent a conciliatory message to the judicial and legislative bodies by asking his ministers to be more humble and to boost cooperation with them.
" Especially during this difficult time with other parties like the House of Representatives (DPR), we must be down to earth," Abdurrahman noted.
For the ceremony, Rizal had to borrow the hat of the State Minister of Forestry Marzuki Usman, as he had forgotten to bring his own.
Burhanuddin pledged to strengthen the value of the rupiah against the US dollar. He expressed his confidence in bringing down the rupiah to a level below 10,000.
Anwar, former secretary-general of the Ministry of Communications, and previously president of the state-owned railway PT KAI, was practically ignored by the press.(dja/prb)