Robert Go, Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri will not sack her top Security Minister despite an increasingly public rift between the two, a senior official yesterday.

State Secretary Bambang Kesowo gave the assurance even as Ms Megawati's administration sought to play down speculation of differences between the President and her Cabinet colleagues ahead of next month's general election. "The President has no plan to dismiss anyone at this time," said Mr Kesowo.

Addressing Coordinating Minister for Security and Politics Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono specifically, Mr Kesowo said: 'There has been no effort to reduce his authority, to isolate him or to sideline him.' Media reports have said the minister – who perhaps stands the best chance among the Cabinet ministers of challenging Ms Megawati in July's presidential election – has been excluded from meetings, and that decisions have been taken without consulting him.

Mr Susilo has not officially announced his candidacy but the Democratic Party, a small group which he helped found in September 2001, has said it would back him.

The apparent spat between the Security Minister and his boss hit a crescendo last week, when Ms Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas slammed Mr Susilo for acting in a "childish" way by making the issue public.

As for Mr Susilo, he has not denied those reports, thus fuelling speculation that Ms Megawati has been trying to curb his influence. He has since sent a letter to the President, asking her to clarify his role in the government.

Yesterday, Mr Kesowo said the President has received Mr Susilo's letter, but will not respond because there is "no need" to deal with such an issue by "issuing letters to each other". Mr Susilo's status could be raised during a Cabinet meeting today to discuss forestry laws, Mr Kesowo added.

Some politicians have suggested that Cabinet members who have presidential aspirations resign from the Cabinet. Their stepping down, say such observers, would allow others, who can devote their full time and attention to keeping the country running, to take over.

According to some reports, presidential aspirants in the Cabinet include Welfare Minister Yusuf Kalla and Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra.

Some questions have also been raised about the unity of Ms Megawati's team and its members' ability to continue doing their jobs in addition to their separate political activities.

For now, Ms Megawati and Vice-President Hamzah Haz have struck a deal that whenever one is on the campaign trail, the other would stay in Jakarta and be ready to deal with any matters of state.