Wahid's new team

Despite high hopes that President Abdurrahman Wahid's new government would herald a complete break with the past, it was inevitable that a handful of the old guard would receive a place.

Previous regimes included some highly competent ministers, in addition to those tainted with the corruption and cronyism of the Suharto regime. Those figures are now, to the electorate's relief, consigned to the wilderness.

Of the old order, it is General Wiranto's role that prompts most questions. Until the government is established, it is hard to know how much influence he can exert as minister for political and security affairs; but the power of the military has certainly been curtailed.

Even with four members of ex-president Suharto's cabinet in the new line-up, an element of political compromise is an improvement on Suharto's approach. Under his patronage, jobs were awarded on the basis of personal loyalty.

Mr. Wahid has started by breaking the mold of politics by creating several new jobs, some of which have yet to be defined. With several untried figures in his cabinet from across the political divide, he may have created a rainbow coalition that will blossom under an atmosphere of consensus-building and compromise.

But with a shattered country to rebuild and a population impatient for progress, there is not much time for an inexperienced administration to grow into the job.

And though the appointment of an ethnic Chinese as coordinating minister for economics and finance may reassure the Chinese community, Kwik Kian Gie's experience comes mainly from running a business school.

Managing an economy in disarray will be a fiery baptism. Mr. Wahid will need all his leadership skills to mold his disparate cabinet into a team, but overall he has made a good start.

Indonesia's democratic credentials are restored, and the future is all to play for.

-- The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong