PRESIDENT UNLIKELY TO RESHUFFLE CABINET

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 25 (ANTARA) - In spite of its discontent over disloyal partners, the ruling Democratic Party (PD) has said it is determined to maintain its coalition, indicating that ministers from disloyal parties would not be reshuffled.          There is usually a political sign on the change in the government's structure before a cabinet reshuffle is to be made. So far, such an indication has not yet been seen.          "I am not convinced there will be an immediate reshuffle because I did not see any  indication of a change in the government body," Golkar Party Chief Patron Akbar Tanjung said.          After all, reshuffling the cabinet ministers is the prerogative of the President. So, although the Democratic Party is not satisfied with its coalition partners, it will leave the matter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.          "The reshuffle is the prerogative of the President. Should the president decide to carry out a reshuffle, Golkar will respect it, yet I don't see any signal to that effect," Akbar Tanjung said.           A number of PD leaders have expressed disappointment over the attitude of a number of ruling coalition partners which was not in line with that of the PD with regard to the Bank Century bailout case.          A House inquiry committee is investigating alleged violations in the extension and disbursement of a bailout fund for Bank Century in late 2008 amounting to Rp6.7 trillion.          Golkar and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) have been aggressive throughout the House of Representatives' inquiry, particularly in targeting Boediono and Sri Mulyani to take the fall. Several Democratic Party leaders have warned the two parties that taking sides with the opposition meant they no longer considered them part of the coalition.          Boediono, now the vice president, was the governor of Bank Indonesia (the central bank) and Sri Mulyani, the finance minister, was then head of the  Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK), when the bailout was provided for the ailing Bank Century.          Discontent over the 'disloyalty' arose further when factions in the inquiry mentioned the names of Boediono and Mulyani in their final views early on Wednesday.          Before the factions delivered their final views, several PD leaders appeared in TV reports saying that those who did not follow the line should better withdraw their ministers in the government.          "They had better withdraw their ministers," Hayono Isman, a member of PD board of patrons, said. The same voice was also expressed by PD secretary general Amir Syamsuddin. "We are awkward to claim they are our coalition partners," Syamsuddin said in a TV show debate.          Being annoyed by coalition parties, the leadership of the Democrat Party early this month proposed a cabinet reshuffle. Amir Syamsuddin said the proposal was made when he and two other PD leaders, namely Anas Urbaningrum and Muhammad Jafar Hafsah met the president on Feb. 4, 2010.          In spite of its discontent, the DP leaves the matter to the president. Democrat Party chairman Hadi Utomo said the party was leaving the cabinet reshuffle issue to President Yudhoyono to decide because it was the head of state's prerogative.          "The Democratic Party is not in a position to push for a cabinet reshuffle because it is the president's prerogative, but we will remain guarding every government policy," he said     According to Akbar Tanjung, so far, there is no sign that the president will reshuffle his ministers from the ruling coalition partners in the near future. He said that Golkar had supported since the beginning the inquiry committee into the Bank Century case.          "We continue to maintain this position. Golkar is committed to channeling the aspirations of the people," he said. Akbar who is also a former general chairman of Golkar said his party would continue to support Yudhoyono's government.          "Partners in coalition are working together to create a clean government. What Golkar is doing with the inquiry into the bailout case is part of what Yudhoyono has asked the committee to do, namely to disclose the Bank Century case completely " Akbar said.          In the meantime, Golkar senior cadre Agung Laksono, who is also chief minister for people's welfare affairs in Yudhoyono's government said  on Thursday he had not received any pressures from the government with regard to the Golkar stance.          "There is no pressure at all," he said before he attended a meeting with the President on Thursday.  He said that after all factions delivered their final views of the Bank Century case on Tuesday, the president did not discuss the Golkar attitude with him.           Several party factions, including that of Golkar, in the House committee investigating the  Bank Century bailout decided to mention the names of those  considered responsible for the controversial Bank Century bailout in their final views on the committee's findings.           Although the coalition partners' views are not in line with that of PD, yet the Democrat Party will maintain its coalition with them. "The Democrat Party prefers to remain friends (with its coalition partners) and will maintain the coalition despite the differences," Anas Urbaningrum, a PD associate chairman, said.          "The differences are still about a matter at committee level and not something at government level," he said.     Tuesday.            According to the Democrat Party, no violations has been committed  in connection with the bank's bailout in 2008 worth Rp6.7 trillion. "We would prefer to maintain the coalition ... unless of course they insist on getting out,"   Anas Urbaningrum said.      (T.A014/A/HAJM/13:20/a/o001)