LAKSAMANA.Net, October 21, 2004 06:20 AM
Brief Cabinet Profiles
Laksamana.Net - Following is a quick look at the members of Indonesia's new
cabinet.
Widodo Adisutjipto: Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs
Adisutjipto, a retired admiral and former Navy chief, served as Indonesian Defense
Forces (TNI) commander under former president Abdurrahman Wahid from October
1999 to July 2001.
Aburizal Bakrie: Coordinating Minister for the Economy
A prominent indigenous tycoon with a vast range of business interests, Bakrie is the
former chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin).
Earlier this year he ran unsuccessfully in a convention to become Golkar Party's
candidate for the presidential election.
Alwi Shihab: Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare
A moderate Islamic scholar who promotes tolerance, Shihab served as foreign
minister under Wahid. He is presently chairman of Wahid's National Awakening Party
(PKB).
Mochtar Maruf: Home Affairs Minister
A retired lieutenant general, he served as the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) chief
of social-political affairs over 1995-96.
Hassan Wirajuda: Foreign Affairs Minister
Wirajuda held the same cabinet position under former president Megawati
Sukarnoputri. A career diplomat, he was Indonesia's permanent representative to the
United Nations and other international organizations until July 2000. He subsequently
served as director general for political affairs at the Foreign Ministry. He has also
served as ambassador to Egypt.
Juwono Sudarsono: Defense Minister
A prominent military analyst and former ambassador to Britain, Juwono previously
served as defense minister under Wahid. He is also a former deputy governor of the
National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas).
Hamid Awaluddin: Law and Human Rights Minister
Awaluddin is a member of the General Elections Commission (KPU). He headed the
KPU's division for the procurement of ballot papers, which critics claimed lacked
transparency, raising suspicions of possible collusion and kickbacks.
Jusuf Anwar: Finance Minister
Anwar is the Asian Development Bank's executive director for Indonesia. He has
previously served as chairman of the Indonesia Capital Market Supervisory Board and
secretary general of the Finance Ministry.
Purnomo Yusgiantoro: Energy and Mineral Resources Minister
Purnomo held the same position under Megawati and Wahid. The decision to
re-appoint him means that Indonesia will keep the OPEC presidency until the end of
this year.
Andung Nitimihardja: Industry Minister
Andung Nitimihardja is chief commissioner of state electricity company PLN. He is
also a former executive of the State Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), where he
served as deputy chairman for national business development.
Marie Pangestu: Trade Minister
A US-trained economist, Pangestu is a former executive director of the Center for
Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Anton Apriyantono: Agriculture Minister
Apriyantono is a lecturer at the prestigious Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), which
earlier this month awarded Yudhoyono a doctorate in agricultural sciences for his
thesis on the development of rural areas and analysis of fiscal policies.
M.S. Kaban: Forestry Minister
Kaban is secretary general of the Islam-based Crescent Star Party (PBB) of Yusril
Izha Mahendra. He is also chairman of parliament's recently formed 20-member
Democratic Pioneer Star faction. In the past he has said political demonstrations
tarnish Indonesia's reputation.
Hatta Rajasa: Transportation Minister
He served as research and technology minister under Megawati. He is a member of
the National Mandate Party (PAN) of Amien Rais.
Freddy Numberi: Maritime and Fisheries Minister
A retired rear admiral, Numberi was the first Papuan to reach a senior rank in the
armed forces. He is a former governor of Irian Jaya (now Papua) province and also
served as administrative reforms minister under Wahid.
Fahmi Idris: Manpower and Transmigration Minister
A powerful member of Golkar Party, Idris served as manpower minister under former
president B.J. Habibie. He was recently suspended from Golkar's executive board for
defying an order to support Megawati in last month's presidential election. Several
reports have wrongly stated that Idris served as manpower minister under Suharto.
Joko Kirmanto: Public Works Minister
Kirmanto served as director general for housing and settlement at the Resettlement
and Regional Infrastructure Ministry during the Wahid administration. Under the
Megawati administration he became secretary general of the ministry.
Siti Fadilah Supari: Health Minister
A health professional, Supari is a doctor in cardiology.
Bambang Sudibyo: National Education Minister
Sudibyo, a professor of accounting, is a member of PAN and served as finance
minister in the Wahid administration.
Bachtiar Chamsyah: Social Affiars Minister
Chamsyah is a member of the Islam-based United Development Party (PPP) of
Hmazah Haz. He held the same cabinet position under Megawati.
Muhammad Maftuh Basyuni: Religious Affairs Minister
Basyuni is currently serving as Indonesian ambassador to Saudi Arabia. He served
briefly as state secretary in Wahid's short-lived final cabinet in June 2001. He was
previously an ambassador to Kuwait and formerly head of the Presidential Household
Staff under Suharto.
Jero Wacik: Tourism and Culture Minister
Wacik is a senior member of Yudhoyono's Democrat Party, serving as head of the
central board of directors.
Kusmayanto Kadiman: Research and Technology Minister
Kadiman is rector of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).
Suryadharma Ali: Cooperatives and Small-Medium Enterprises Minister
Ali is a senior member of PPP and a strong supporter of Yudhoyono. As a legislator,
he played a key role in the June 2001 impeachment of Wahid.
Rachmat Witoelar: Environment Minister
A former Indonesian ambassador to Russia, Witoelar has long been close to
Yudhoyono and helped to orchestrate his rise to power.
Meuthia Farida Hatta-Swasono: Women's Empowerment Minister
Hatta-Swasono is a lecturer in postgraduate studies at the University of Indonesia and
the daughter of Indonesia's first vice president Muhammad Hatta. She is also a
member of the nationalist Justice and Unity Party (PKP).
Taufik Effendi: State Apparatus Efficiency Minister
Effendi is deputy chairman of the Democrat Party and a former consulate general in
Toronto.
Syaifullah Yusuf: Minister for the Acceleration of Development in Less-Developed
Regions
Yusuf is a nephew of Wahid. He was once a member of Megawati's Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) but is now secretary general of PKB.
Sri Mulyani Indrawati: National Development Planning Minister
A US-trained economist, she spent a year with the International Monetary Fund,
where was in charge of Southeast Asian affairs.
Sugiharto: State Enterprises Minister
Sugiharto is a member of PPP.
Sofyan Djalil: Information and Communication Minister
Djalil served as a deputy minister of state enterprises under Wahid. This year he was
a member of Yudhoyono's campaign team. He presently runs a consulting firm,
Sofyan Djalil and Partners, which specializes in corporate governance and
communication.
Adhyaksa Dault: Youth Affairs and Sports Minister
Dault is a former chairman of the National Indonesian Youth Committee (KNPI). He is
also the former head of a youth group called Garda Muda Merah Putih (Red and White
Youth Defenders), which was formed by former military commander Wiranto.
Muhammad Yusuf Ashari: People's Housing Minister
Ashari is a member of the Islam-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
Abdul Rahman Saleh: Attorney General
A Supreme Court judge, Saleh hit the headlines in February 2004 when he was on a
panel of five judges that overturned Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tanjung's corruption
conviction. After the ruling, Saleh read out a lengthy dissenting decision, saying
Tanjung had engaged in "corrupt practice" and was guilty of "shameful conduct
because he failed to show minimal appropriate efforts to protect state money”.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra: State Secretary/Minister
Yusril is chairman of the Islam-based PBB. He served as justice and human rights
minister under Megawati and Wahid. He is also a former speechwriter of Suharto.
Earlier this year he complained that his official salary is too small. Under his
leadership, the Justice Ministry has proposed the criminalization of sorcery, sex
outside of marriage, oral sex and anal sex. Yusril was also at the forefront of efforts to
make Western tourists to pay for visas to enter Indonesia. His PBB wants Indonesia
to adopt Islamic law.
Sudi Silalahi: Cabinet Secretary
Silalahi, a retired three-star lieutenant general and former East Java Military Command
chief, previously served as secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Political and
Security Affairs. He played a key role Yudhoyono's rise to power. Their friendship
dates back more than 30 years when they were military cadets.
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