The political parties have jostled to compete for ministerial seats but are still being shy when it comes to making public the names submitted to President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who has started screening the potential ministers.

The parties always said they would never beg for Cabinet seats and that President Yudhoyono should decide the right people for the right jobs.

“We submitted many names to give room for the President to place PPP members in several portfolios,” deputy secretary-general of the United Development Party (PPP) Muhammad Romahurmuziy told reporters on Tuesday. He declined to reveal any names.

But when asked its targets for Cabinet seats, Romahurmuziy said, “At least two ministerial posts — one in a ministry and another in a state minister's  office.”

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which has repeatedly criticized the Golkar Party for its plan to join the government, was reluctant to reveal its ministerial nominees.

“Political parties are not in a position to ask for seats in the next Cabinet. It is the prerogative of the President,” PKS faction secretary Zulkifliemansyah said.

PKS president Tifatul Sembiring reiterated that Yudhoyono should appoint Hidayat Nur Wahid to a ministerial post in the next Cabinet.

Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar expressed hoped the party would get at least two posts in the Cabinet.

“Pak Hatta has told me to wait for a call from SBY,” Muhaimin said, referring to State Secretary Hatta Radjasa.

The PKS, PPP, PKB and the National Mandate Party (PAN) were Yudhoyono’s coalition partners in the July presidential elections.

Hatta said the main political parties in the government coalition had all submitted their nominees.
He said the parties had sent documents including CVs via the State Secretariat, and that it was now up to the President.

“After the President ... decides who will be the ministers, he will invite them to undergo some kind of fit and proper test,” Hatta said.

“He has completed the plans for first 100-day program, integrity pact, code of conduct for parties in coalition, and [targeted] performances … all are ready to be signed by whomsoever are appointed as ministers.”

Hatta stopped short, however, of specifically mentioning whether the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) were among parties having submitted CVs and nominees.

“I am busy with [the] parties  which joined the coalition [with Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party] since the beginning. I don’t know about the others,” he explained.

Golkar and the PDI-P said though they had built “pleasant” political communications with Yudhoyono and his Democratic Party, they would not openly submit names for the President to consider as ministers.

“We are not in a position to offer any names. I can only say our party will honorably respond to any
offer from the President by preparing our best members,” said Golkar central board chairman, Priyo Budi Santoso.

When asked about whether Golkar would find it ethical to accept a Cabinet offer due to the fact that the party was an opposition  to Yudhoyono during the election, Priyo asked “Who said that we did not make any efforts?” (hdt)

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