DATE=8/21/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA - POWER SHIFT - L-ONLY
NUMBER=2-265683
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid has
agreed on how he will share more power with his
deputy - as demanded by the country's lawmakers.
Officials say the president will still be in
charge of policy but the vice president will be
responsible for implementation. As Patricia Nunan
reports from Jakarta, the plan is intended to
help rid the government of cabinet in-fighting
paralyzing the administration.
TEXT: Indonesian Justice Minister Yusril Ihza
Mahendra says the power to make policy will
generally stay with the president, but that Vice
President Megawati Sukarnoputri will be
responsible for its implementation.
The minister says that Ms. Megawati will be
tasked with deciding government priorities,
setting the agenda, chairing cabinet meetings and
monitoring how policy is carried out. Ms.
Megawati would have the authority to summon
ministers and to sign off on some policy
decisions.
The announcement comes three days after the close
of the annual meeting of People's Consultative
Assembly - Indonesia's highest legislative body.
During the session, Indonesian President
Abdurrahman Wahid staved off talk of his possible
impeachment by announcing that he would hand over
the day to day running of the administration to
his deputy. Analysts say the proposal went a long
way towards appeasing critical assembly-members.
Still, many of the details of the power-sharing
plan have yet to be announced publicly. It
remains unclear whether President Wahid will push
ahead with another proposal he made to assign two
key cabinet ministers to assist himself and the
vice-president in running the government. The
make-up of the "Group of Four" - as he called it
- is expected to be announced when the president
revamps his cabinet later this week.
Under this new arrangement, Vice President
Megawati - who has so far kept a very low profile
in government - will now be forced into the
spotlight since her tasks will include explaining
some government decisions to the public.
Analysts, including Dewi Furtuna Anwar, say the
job could make or break the vice-president's
chances for assuming the presidency after Mr.
Wahid leaves office in 2004.
/// DEWI FORTUNA ANWAR ACT ///
If she accepts this job and does well it will be
a very good internship for her to show that she
is not as light-weight as everyone claimed that
she is. But if she accepts this, then the buck
stops with her.
/// END ACT ///
President Wahid says he will announce his new
streamlined cabinet by the end of this week. It
is expected to be pared down from 35 to 25
ministers.
The current "National reform" cabinet appointed
by President Wahid when he was elected in October
is made up of appointees from across Indonesia's
political spectrum -- a means for the president
to pay back political favors. However the group
quickly became factionalized. Its inability to
agree to a common agenda is one of the reasons
given for Indonesia's lack of progress in terms
of economic recovery. (signed)
NEB/HK/PN/JO
21-Aug-2000 06:01 AM LOC (21-Aug-2000 1001 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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