VP to lead Cabinet, Yusril says

VP to lead Cabinet, Yusril says

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri will lead
the Cabinet under a new duty-sharing arrangement with President
Abdurrahman Wahid, a senior Cabinet official said on Monday.

Minister of Law and Legislation Yusril Ihza Mahendra told
reporters that both the President and Vice President have
endorsed the draft concept of a presidential decree detailing
their respective state duties.

State Minister of Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid meanwhile
said the President would reintroduce the position of junior
minister in his new Cabinet.

Different from the position of state minister, which is likely
to be scrapped in the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, the task of a
junior minister, according to Ryaas, would be "to promote
specific government policies."

The President meanwhile told both members of the National
Economic Council (DEN) and the National Business Development
Council (DPUN) that he would abolish both bodies as part of the
upcoming restructuring of his administration.

Both councils were set up by the President, who is a novice in
economic matters, in December as fora where he could obtain
second opinions before endorsing proposals by his own economic
team. Both councils have often found themselves in conflict with
the President's economic team.

"We accept the President's decision," DPUN chairman Sofyan
Wanandi said after attending a meeting with the President.

More details emerged of the shape of the new Cabinet on Monday
but not the names of the people who will serve in it, which are
currently the subject of political negotiations, particularly
between the two leaders.

Cabinet restructuring and the instituting of task-sharing with
Megawati were two major concessions promised by the embattled
President before the People's Consultative Assembly early this
month.

Barring prolonged negotiations, Gus Dur, as the President is
popularly called, will announce the new Cabinet format and lineup
on Friday.

Yusril said that under the new arrangement, Megawati would run
the day-to-day activities of the government, from chairing
Cabinet meetings to setting policies, under the supervision of
the President.

The Vice President would determine policy priorities, prepare
the Cabinet's agenda, lead Cabinet meetings and monitor policy
implementation by ministers, Yusril told journalists after
meeting with the President at the Bina Graha presidential office,
along with State Minister of Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid.

Gus Dur later had a working luncheon with Megawati at the
latter's official residence on Jl. Diponegoro, according to
palace officials.

"The Vice President is empowered to summon ministers and
monitor their activities. She will report to the President
because the final responsibility for government is still vested
in the President," said Yusril.

Gus Dur has assigned Yusril, an expert on constitutional law,
to draft the presidential decree on the division of tasks between
himself and Megawati.

Yusril said the decree would be "very detailed".

In spite of Megawati's greater role in the government, the
President would remain in charge, as mandated by the 1945
Constitution, he said.

In the event of differences of opinion between the two
leaders, the President's opinion would prevail, he said. "We have
to remember that this is a presidential system of government."

The President has also assigned three ministers -- Minister of
Mines and Energy Lt. Gen. (ret.) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
Minister of Settlement and Territorial Development Erna Witoelar,
and Ryaas -- to study the restructuring of the Cabinet,
particularly as regards the merger the various departments and
agencies to streamline the administration.

The President has disclosed that he wanted to reduce the size
of his Cabinet to a maximum of 25 ministers from the current 35.

He would retain two coordinating ministers instead of the
current three and they would all report to the Vice President.

Separately, State Minister of Research and Technology A.S.
Hikam proposed that his office be merged with other government
departments or agencies rather than be dissolved.

"It would be good if the government doesn't dissolve the
ministry. It's impossible for this country to progress if it
doesn't have an agency overseeing research and technology," Hikam
said on the sidelines of a seminar at the National Institute of
Sciences (LIPI) on Monday.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, while professing not to meddle
in the Cabinet selection process, argued on Monday that Gus Dur
should pick ministers from political parties to ensure that his
government has enough support in the legislature for the
effective running of the administration.

Gus Dur's National Awakening Party (PKB) controls 51 of the
500 seats in the House, while Megawati's Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has 153 seats. Golkar, which
is also expected to secure some seats in the Cabinet, controls
120 seats.

Besides having professional competence, the ministers must
enjoy political support from the House or they would have
problems carrying out their duties, Akbar said.

He dismissed the ongoing debate about whether professionals or
politicians should be appointed to the Cabinet.

"Let's not regard the two criteria as being in conflict
because political parties have leaders who are also
professionals," he said.

In Yogyakarta, political observer Pratikno from Gadjah Mada
University urged the President to select more people from Islamic
organizations, such as Muhammadiyah, in place of politicians from
the Islamic parties of the "Axis Force" which first nominated him
President during the October presidential election.

"I think Gus Dur is aware of the importance of having
political support in the House. He can replace the Axis Force's
representatives in the cabinet with those who have strong support
in Islamic organizations such as Muhammadiyah," he said.
(rms/44/09/byg/sur/prb)