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Indonesian President Launches Cabinet Reshuffle
Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid Tuesday launched another cabinet reshuffle, the second made by him after the House of Representatives on May 30 called for a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which could lead to his impeachment.
In his announcement, the president replaced Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Rizal Ramli and Finance Minister Prijadi Praptosuhardjo. Ramli then was appointed as finance minister while Ramli's position was taken over by Burhanuddin Abdullah, a former deputy governor of the Bank Indonesia, the country's central bank.
Wahid also appointed Anwar Supriyadi, former general secretary at the transportation ministry, as state minister for utilization of state apparatus replacing Marsilam Simanjuntak, who has been assigned as justice minister during last cabinet reshuffle.
The reshuffle was announced by presidential spokesman Yahya Staquf at the Bina Graha presidential office Tuesday afternoon. That was the second reshuffle launched by Wahid in less than two weeks.
Wahid said that improving cabinet efficiency was among the reasons behind Tuesday's reshuffle.
"This reshuffle is aimed at improving cabinet work as well as increasing efficiency. That is the reason of the reshuffle," Wahid said seconds before the announcement of the reshuffle.
"We hope that the cabinet efficiency would be much better after this reshuffle to get (economic) target we have set," the president added.
Talking to reporters on Monday, presidential spokesmen Adhie M. Massardie and Yahya Staquf contended that the president's decision to reshuffle the economic team was being taken mainly to appease the political parties' demands.
"And the main focus is how to optimize capability in the ministries related to finance and economic affairs, because problems in this sector are very huge and need serious attention," Adhie said.
On June 1, the president sacked six cabinet ministers including coordinating minister for social, political and security affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Defense Minister Mahfud M.D. on Monday said that the cabinet reshuffle was linked to the ongoing political lobby which has been conducted by Wahid's camp, aiming at narrowing differences and calling dawn political stand-off between the president and the parliament.
Wahid has assigned three cabinet ministers such as Defense Minister Mahfud, Attorney General Baharuddin Lopa and Coordinating Minister for Social, Security and Political Affairs Agum Gumelar to lobby political parties.
Four parties have been set to be lobbied by them such as the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the Golkar Party, the United Development Party and the National Mandate Party.
Mahfud said that reshuffle cabinet was one of demands of political parties ahead of the upcoming special session of the MPR on August 1, where Wahid would be asked to account for his 19 months in office.
Wahid is facing hard times in his political career as major factions in the Assembly are seemed to reject his accountability speech in the August hearing.
The Muslim cleric himself has said that he would not meet the Assembly's request on the accountability matter.
But Chairman of the MPR Amien Rais has insisted that the Assembly would move ahead regardless of whether Wahid attends the session or not.
Meanwhile, observers said that cabinet reshuffle will not be able to improve Wahid's performance. They also voiced their concerns as the replacement of economic ministers was made amid the critical situation in the deliberation of the country's state budget revision.
The government and parliament have been discussing state budget revision to clear the way for the disbursement of the 400 million U.S. dollars in loan from the International Monetary Fund which has been delayed since December last year.
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