Yusril bids early farewell

Yusril bids early farewell

JAKARTA: Although the current Cabinet will be dissolved only
after the next president takes office in October, Minister of
Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra has already bid
farewell to his staff.

"I would like to say goodbye to all of you. This may be the
last time I preside over a big ceremony, as my term as a minister
will end on Oct. 30 this year," Yusril said in a ceremony marking
the immigration office's anniversary here on Saturday.

He said he would not resign as a minister despite his plan to
contest the presidential election, with the possibility of
challenging his boss, incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Yusril chairs the Crescent Star Party (PBB), while Megawati is
chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan).

No party has announced their presidential and vice
presidential candidates, although the General Elections
Commission has opened the registration of candidates for the
landmark direct presidential election, scheduled for April 5.

"People must learn that if a minister becomes a presidential
candidate, it does not mean that he or she is an enemy of the
incumbent president. It's common that a supervisor later becomes
a subordinate," Yusril said.

Besides Yusril, Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Coordinating
Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla are also potential
presidential candidates. -- JP