Firings to mark Yudhoyono's first year in power Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to reshuffle his coalition Cabinet when he marks one year in power next month - a move that could be a battle of wills with his powerful deputy.
Dean Yates and Achmad Sukarsono Friday, September 23, 2005 Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to reshuffle his coalition Cabinet when he marks one year in power next month - a move that could be a battle of wills with his powerful deputy. Indonesia's financial markets have begun to buzz with speculation about changes to the economic team in the wake of a near meltdown of the rupiah last month and concerns the government is moving too slowly to improve the business climate. One top government official close to Yudhoyono said the former army general will sack some underperforming ministers. "He will definitely change some ministers," the official said. Among those likely to go are Finance Minister Jusuf Anwar, who was a compromise choice last year. Chief economics minister Aburizal Bakrie could also come under scrutiny, but his close ties to Vice President Jusuf Kalla makes him virtually impossible to remove. Yudhoyono took office October 20 last year after winning Indonesia's first direct presidential election. He made all ministers sign accountability contracts and warned them he would evaluate their work after one year. A Yudhoyono spokesman said the president will assess his Cabinet but declined to comment on a reshuffle. But the top official said Yudhoyono will use the October 20 anniversary to make changes. Some believe that Yudhoyono, 56, is at a crossroads, especially as he girds for protests that could erupt when he increases fuel prices early next month to cut fuel subsidies that are crippling the budget. He also has a bird flu outbreak on his hands. "I think the next two months are probably going to be the most important two months in the Yudhoyono presidency," said James Castle, a prominent business consultant in Jakarta. "He has to raise fuel prices and shuffle the Cabinet. The market expects them both and, fairly or not, if they don't happen he will be shown in their minds to be weak and indecisive or confused by the difficulties he is facing." Standing in the way could be Kalla, 63, a former businessman and head of Golkar, the biggest party in parliament. Some believe Kalla out-muscled Yudhoyono in choosing economic ministers last year, and big changes will reflect badly on him. Kalla also believes ministers should not take the rap for the external events that have hurt Indonesia, such as soaring world oil prices, a senior Golkar member said. "Whoever is in charge will face these problems and the challenge is to overcome them," said Andi Matalatta, who is Golkar's faction chief in parliament and close to Kalla. Added the top government official: "This won't be easy. Jusuf Kalla is reluctant to change ministers." Yudhoyono chose Kalla as his election running mate last year after they had served together in the previous administration. His shoot-from-the-hip style contrasts with the scholarly Yudhoyono, who has been dogged by perceptions he is indecisive. Yudhoyono needs Kalla for the support Golkar gives his tiny Democrat Party in parliament, but the public, media and businessmen are clamoring for cabinet changes. Rama Pratama, an MP from the Prosperous Justice Party, a Yudhoyono ally, said economic ministers such as Anwar and Mines and Energy Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro should lose their jobs. "The finance minister must be replaced because he has not performed at all," said Pratama, who sits on parliament's finance and banking commission. "The energy minister also needs to go. He has been in and out of Cabinets and still cannot get us out of this energy crisis." Some analysts have called on Yudhoyono to coax respected former finance minister Boediono out of retirement. Boediono stabilized Indonesia's fiscal accounts in the last government. REUTERS http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=1908&sid=4695794&con_type=1 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/uTGrlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
