President re-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Saturday he had collected more than 100 names circulating in the media as potential candidates for the next Cabinet ministers.
The President said that he had been reading media reports discussing names deemed to be strong candidates to be in the 2009-2014 Cabinet, and that he would consider those names.
“All those names circulated are good figures with good track records and CVs. I will have to sort those names before deciding who will fill the ministerial posts,” Yudhoyono said in a fast-breaking gathering with lawmakers at the residence of the House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono.
He said, however, that he and vice-president-elect Boediono would not yet discuss who would be the right individuals for the ministerial seats.
“Currently the vice-president-elect and I are still formulating the new government’s action plans for the next five years and the first 100-day program. We have to complete them before Oct. 1.
“And we are reviewing the Cabinet’s structure. The existing regulation allows a president to do it; we will build an effective Cabinet and ensure that ministries will function effectively.”
To ensure the effectiveness, he said, the new government would probably add new divisions in some ministries and abolish existing ones in others.
After the formulation of the new government’s next agendas is completed and the new Cabinet structure is clear, then it will be time to “summon the nation’s best figures” to fill the Cabinet posts, Yudhoyono said.
The President had earlier said he would pick professionals with both party and non-party background as his next ministers.
A number of figures, especially those close to Yudhoyono and executives of parties in coalition with his Democratic Party, are believed to be strong ministerial candidates in the next Cabinet.
Among names circulating in the media for these ministerial posts are presidential spokesman and Democratic Party leader Andi Mallarangeng, another Democratic leader Anas Urbaningrum, former and current chairmen of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Hidayat Nurwahid and Tifatul Sembiring, and members of SBY’s campaign team for the presidential election, former military chief Djoko Suyanto and economist Chatib Basri.
Andi said earlier this week that the next Cabinet would possibly include figures from parties outside the current coalition with the Democratic Party, which include the PKS, the National Mandate Party, the United Development Party and the National Awakening Party. These parties are the four Islamic parties securing seats at the House.
Andi’s statement provides hints for the joining of Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI-P) in the new Cabinet, despite many observers’ objections in fear of a too powerful government.
Yudhoyono ended his speech before the fast-breaking, saying that the current government, nevertheless, would still be focusing on completing their tasks before the end of their period on Oct. 20, the inauguration day of the President and Vice President.
Agung said in his welcoming speech that the holy month of Ramadan should provide the momentum to reunite the nation after its fragmentation during the legislative and presidential elections.
Also attending the Saturday’s gathering were several Cabinet ministers, Indonesian Military chief Gen. Djoko Santoso, National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri, and several foreign ambassadors in Jakarta.
