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strong>July 24, Online

President-elect Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo and his team have introduced a survey called '€œPeople'€™s choices for an alternative Cabinet'€, published on jokowicenter.com just a few days after being declared winner of the 2014 presidential election.

In the survey, the team offers three different names for each ministerial post to fill a Cabinet of 34 ministers. The survey also provides an option if a respondent has another name to propose.

Several names from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono'€™s Cabinet, including Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Coordinating Economic Minister Chairul Tanjung, Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Agus Martowardojo, former trade minister Gita Wirjawan and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan, are on the list.

Your comments:

I think it is a move by the president-elect to involve Indonesians in their country'€™s future and have them take an active interest in the daily problems facing the nation. Only then can Indonesia progress. A very smart move, president-elect. They will hopefully feel they are being heard.

Up until now the Indonesian public has been used to listening to the garbage coming from the mouths of the corrupt people that have been running the country, which has made Indonesians apathetic. Again, a really smart move, president-elect.

Mr. president-elect, congratulations. It is good to read that you aim '€” the first Indonesian president ever to do so '€” to appoint professionals and experts as ministers; doing away with the practice of handing out ministerial positions to the corrupt individuals that have held these positions up until now. Please promise you will stick to this; you owe it to your voters. They chose you because they really want a better Indonesia and better lives.

Rojak

Dear Pak Jokowi,

Writing and sending you a list of names is a futile exercise by members of the public. The reason is very obvious.

That is to say, the public does not have their biographical data, qualifications, achievements, records and experiences to peruse.  

Next, suggesting certain names to you is as easy as ABC, but are the likely candidates capable of performing and delivering? Are they mentally strong, or will they yield to demands to generate '€œholiday money'€ for members of the House of Representatives and others?

This sort of hidden agenda has been going on for years and no one can predict the inner thoughts of an individual unless and until you show what you mean when you say you would dismiss Cabinet ministers who fail to perform their duties and reach set targets.

Luwanto

Let the people of Indonesia participate. I am certain many good names will be suggested as choices to head the various departments.

Most important '€” as Jokowi'€™s coalition does not so far include too many parties with too many various vested interests and also because Jokowi has made it clear from the beginning that any support given to him will not be rewarded in the usual way it has worked so far in Indonesia '€” he can build a team that is focused and loyal to him and not to party interests.

Therefore, he can also pick people without a dubious background or likely to be corrupted.

I am sure there will be fallouts, but they are less likely to occur than with a cabinet in which ministers are chosen by party affiliation and not by their professional background and capability.

Max

Yes, it'€™s a good move. Getting the people involved is a good strategy. I am beginning to see some changes that will be for the benefit of Indonesia.

TC

 I totally agree that now Indonesia can have a bright future.

AA

Mr. president-elect,

Please employ professionals who can implement policies based on a country'€™s needs, not just a company. They need to know how the country can benefit as a whole, the people as a whole.

Indonesia has many professionals who make policies as if they were running a company, and they have tunnel vision, they are short sighted and they have no sense of macro or micro economics.

Please make policies that are efficient, and appoint capable people to monitor, control and analyze.

Do not introduce elaborate, complex policies that aim to solve 1 percent of a problem by making 99 percent suffer.

Indonesia has also become one of the worst business environments in the world.

I also think every elected legislator from the general election in April should spend at least twice a week after working hours in their home constituencies to assist with the problems faced by local residents.

This would be much better than just assigning money to each area. Let people do more things for society as a whole and have a sense of responsibility and a desire to improve their own areas.

That way, they can easily be held accountable by the locals.

Edeh