Jokowi’s campaign supporters blast supposed cabinet appointments

JAKARTA — Indonesia Vice-President Jusuf Kalla has confirmed that the nation’s next cabinet will be announced at 4pm today (Oct 26) at the State Palace. The new ministers are expected to be then inaugurated tomorrow.

Mr Kalla said he was confident there would not be any serious problems with the appointments. However a bloc of Mr Joko Widodo’s presidential campaign volunteers expressed disappointment today with two names supposedly included in Indonesia’s next cabinet.

A leaked cabinet list obtained by Investor Daily showed former Astra International chief, Ms Rini Soemarno, had been appointed minister of state-owned enterprises; while former commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), General Wiranto, would be coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs.

The Jakarta Globe has not been able to independently verify the accuracy of the leak, but a coalition of Mr Widodo’s campaign supporters, The People’s Movement (Geruduk), have pounced on the early report and voiced disapproval.

“Wiranto and Rini Soemarno should not be allowed in the cabinet,” said Mr Budi Arie Setiadi, a spokesman for Geruduk. “Do not let massive hope for a change fail to grow because of past baggage.”

Mr Setiadi said ministerial positions should not be filled with figures implicated in alleged human rights abuses or corruption.

Gen Wiranto, who was TNI commander in 1999, has been dogged by allegations that the Indonesian military and army-backed militias were responsible for numerous atrocities against East Timorese after they voted for independence.

Ms Soemarno, who served as a minister during ex-President Megawati Soekarnoputri’s administration, was questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) last year in connection to the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) bailout.

Mr Setiadi said the volunteer organisation still supported Mr Widodo and Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, but were ready to safeguard the administration from “the dirty elites who will only burden their government”.

Human rights groups Imparsial and The Commission for Missing Person and Victims of Violence (Kontras) have also voiced concern about the possible inclusion of Gen Wiranto and Ms Soemarno.

The composition of Indonesia’s next cabinet under the presidency of Joko Widodo remain uncertain even after several days of media speculation and scrutiny of candidates’ financial records by Indonesia’s antigraft agency.

The principal reason for the delay had been the need to wait for Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to finish vetting the candidates put forward by Mr Widodo. It is understood that the KPK had delivered its final report to Mr Widodo on Friday night at around 10pm. THE JAKARTA GLOBE