Paras Indonesia, 10, 21 2005 @ 09:31 pm
Rumors of Cabinet Resignations
Roy Tupai
Rumors were swirling in Jakarta on Friday (21/10/05) that two members of President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s cabinet had submitted their resignation amid
mounting calls for a cabinet reshuffle.
Detikcom online news portal quoted an unnamed source in the Presidential Agency
as saying Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono and Finance Minister Jusuf Anwar had
requested permission to resign.
"The two ministers have tendered their resignation to President SBY, but the requests
were made verbally,” the source was quoted as saying.
He claimed Sudarsono wanted to resign for health reasons because of concerns he
could suffer another stroke. The minister had suffered a light stroke in January 2000.
The source said Anwar had reached retirement age and “possibly he wants to rest”.
He said Yudhoyono was quite likely to announce a cabinet reshuffle in early
November, after the post-Ramadhan holiday period of Lebaran.
National Mandate Party (PAN) Sutrisno Bachir earlier this week said the president
had summoned him to discuss the possibility of reshuffling cabinet. He said several
ministers who had not made sufficient achievements would be replaced at the start of
November.
Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng on Friday declined to comment on the
resignation rumors, saying: “I have not heard about it yet”.
When contacted by reporters at the Finance Ministry building on Friday, Jusuf Anwar
would neither confirm nor deny the rumors. He said reporters should check the
information with the State Secretariat. “Just ask the State Secretariat. Is or isn’t
there a [resignation] letter? I‘m not thinking about that,” he was quoted as saying by
detikcom.
Officials at the secretariat could not be immediately reached for comment.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Thursday said all cabinet ministers were preparing
reports on their performance and achievements during the government’s first year in
office.
He said the reports would be submitted to Yudhoyono for evaluation. "It is the
president’s prerogative to evaluate the ministers’ performance after one year in
office," he was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara.
Kalla said the evaluation process would not take place overnight, but would perhaps
be completed in the not-too-distant future. "However he [Yudhoyono] is reluctant to
give his evaluation of the ministers’ performance because it was classified
information."
Responding to criticism of the government’s economic team, Kalla said the ministers
had worked to the best of their ability, but external problems – such as this year’s
record high crude oil prices – had caused some programs to fail.
Sacrifices & No Blame
Yudhoyono on Friday appealed to prominent national figures - including politicians,
religious leaders, academics and the rich - to make more sacrifices and use their
minds and strengths to help the nation overcome its present hardships.
He made the call at a fast-breaking meal with members of the Regional
Representatives Council (DPD) at the Jakarta residence of DPD speaker Ginandjar
Kartasasmita.
In addition to DPD members, the event was also attended by People’s Consultative
Assembly (MPR) speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid, Constitutional Court head Jimly
Asshidique, and MPR deputy speakers Aksa Mahmud and A.M. Fatwa.
Yudhoyono said the nation is still facing many problems in its ongoing transition of
reformation. "The nation is facing many problems, including complex ones. Therefore,
let us work even harder based upon the constitution and the democracy that we
uphold," he was quoted as saying by Antara.
On Thursday evening, Yudhoyono broke the fast with religious leaders and politicians
in the South Kalimantan provincial capital of Banjarmasin. He said hard work and
perseverance were needed to improve the country, so blaming others for any failures
should be avoided.
"As shown in the attitude of the Prophet Muhammad, he was a true reformist who in
case of failures never blamed others. But the prophet never stopped struggling for a
better condition," he said.
The president said 2005 had been a difficult trial for the Indonesian nation because of
the tsunami disaster in Aceh, high world oil prices, the rupiah’s weakening exchange
rate, bird flu and the latest Bali bombings.
He said that in facing tough challenges, the Indonesian nation and people should not
easily give up to complaints, frustration, loss of confidence and mutual-condemnation.
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