M. Taufiqurrahman and Tony Hotland, Jakarta – After weeks of anticipation, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Monday a new cabinet line up that saw a number of ministers being shown the door.
The reshuffle saw five new figures ushered into the cabinet while two active ministers were moved to new portfolios.
"I aim to improve the effectiveness and performance of the cabinet in the next two-and-a-half years," said Yudhoyono at Merdeka Palace.
While quick to deny the reshuffle was made under pressure from political parties, the President conceded he "did consult leaders of political parties". "But the final decision was my sole prerogative".
In the face of growing public pressure, Yudhoyono dismissed Justice and Human Rights Minister Hamid Awaluddin and State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra. Both were implicated in the transfer of US$10 million linked to former president Soeharto's son Hutomo Mandala Putra.
Transportation Minister Hatta Radjasa, who came in for large amounts of public criticism following a string of transportation disasters, will replace Yusril.
Communications and Information Minister Sofyan Djalil was also reassigned as state minister for state enterprises, replacing Soegiharto. Replacing Sofyan is Muhammad Nuh, former rector of the Surabaya Institute for Technology.
In the place of Hamid Awaluddin is seasoned Golkar Party politician Andi Matallatta.
Muhammad Lukman Edy, current secretary general of the National Awakening Party (PKB), was appointed state minister for the development of disadvantaged regions to replace Syaifullah Yusuf, who recently broke ranks with the PKB and joined the United Development Party.
Another new member of the cabinet is Jusman Syafei Djamal, former president of the state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia and present member of the National Transportation Safety and Security Evaluation Team, who replaces Hatta.
Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh is replaced by Hendarman Soepandji, a career prosecutor who is currently junior attorney general for special crimes. His team successfully built a graft case against former National Logistics Agency head Widjanarko Puspoyo.
The President postponed making decision on ailing Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Ma'ruf.
The reshuffle was made after days of deliberation by the President. Over the weekend the President held interviews with cabinet members at his private residence in Cikeas, West Java.
On Monday, Yudhoyono spoke to the soon-to-be-dismissed ministers at the State Palace.
Sukardi Rinakit, executive director of Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicate, described the reshuffle as a victory for Golkar Party.
"It's political trading. Golkar also gets the post of state minister for state enterprises. That's the office where the resources to fund the 2009 elections are," he said.
"The President is appeasing parties to keep his administration stable," he said, adding that the reshuffle did not touch on core problems as no one in the economics team was replaced.
Despite attracting public ire over the Lapindo mudflow case, Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie's continued presence is proof that Golkar is in control, Sukardi added.
J. Kristiadi, political analyst at the Centre for Strategic International Studies, echoed his sentiments. "There's nothing the public can expect in terms of economic improvement from it," he said. Aburizal's stay in the cabinet, he said, was payback for the tycoon's financial support during the 2004 presidential election.
Second Reshuffle of the United Indonesian Cabinet – New Cabinet Ministers
Hendarman Supandji
Position: Attorney General
Affiliation: Bureaucrat
Born: Jan. 6, 1947, in Klaten, Central Java
Education: Law school at Diponegoro University in Semarang, Central Java (1972)
Career: Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (April 2005-present)
Marital Status: Married to Dr. Sri Kusumo Amdani
Muhammad Lukman Edy
Position: State Minister for Disadvantaged Regions
Affiliation: National Awakening Party (PKB)
Born: Nov. 26, 1970, in Teluk Pinang, Riau
Education: Master's degree in public administration from Padjadjaran University in Bandung, West Java, and doctoral degree in sociology of politics at Malaya University in Malaysia.
Career: Businessman; chairman of the Riau branch of PKB; secretary general of PKB; member of Riau's Regional Legislative Body (DPRD, 1999-2005).
Marital Status: Married to Gustini Zuliaty with three children.
Andi Mattalata
Position: Justice and Human Rights Minister Affiliation: Golkar Party
Born: Sept. 30, 1952, in Bone, South Sulawesi
Education: School of Law at Hasanuddin University in Makassar, South Sulawesi; master's degree in law from University of Indonesia in Jakarta (1984)
Career: Legislator, lecturer at Hasanuddin University Marital
Status: Married to Andi Kusumawaty, with four children
Jusman Syafii Djamal
Position: Transportation Minister
Affiliation: Bureaucrat
Born: July 28, 1954, in Langsa, East AcehEducation: School of Mechanical Engineering, majoring in aeronautics at Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB, 1982).
Career: With state-owned aircraft company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) since 1982, with last position as president director (2000-2002).
Marital Status: Married to Arita, with three children
Muhammad Nuh
Position: Communication and Information Minister
Affiliation: Academic
Born: June 17, 1959, in Surabaya, East Java
Education: Doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from Universite Science et Technique du Languedoc, Montpellier, France.
Career: Rector of Surabaya Institute of Technology (ITS, 2003-2006).
Marital Status: Married to dentist Laily Rachmawati, with one daughter.
Moving Posts
Sofyan A. Djalil
New position: State Minister for State Enterprises
Old position: Communications and Information Minister
Hatta Radjasa
New position: State Secretary/Minister
Old position: Transportation Minister