- Title: Indonesia: New Cabinet
- Date: 26th October 1999
- Summary: Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid has named his new cabinet, announcing a line-up full of new faces but short of government experience. Near-blind Wahid asked Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri to read out the names at a ceremony on October 26. The announcements were largely expected and represented an almost complete cross-section of Indonesia's new political spectrum. Economist Kwik Kian Gie, a close aide of Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri, was named top economics minister. General Wiranto was pushed aside as both defence minister and armed forces chief, given the less powerful job of security and political co-ordinating minister. Former education minister Juwono Sudarsono was named as the first civilian defence minister in generations. Admiral Widodo, Wiranto's former number two in the military, replaced him as armed forces chief. He is the first non-army man ever to hold the post and his appointment gives the country's navy increased clout. Alwi Shihab, a top Wahid aide, was named foreign minister, replacing Ali Alatas, who held the post for over a decade. Top politicians from most leading political groups got posts in the cabinet, which faces daunting tasks in ending a crushing economic and political crisis and mass violence which has killed thousands in the past two years. Newly appointed foreign minister Alwi Shihab admitted his job was a "heavy burden". "It is a heavy burden. Because Ali Alatas is a very successful foreign minister so the comparison will be so huge," Shihab said, adding that the focus of Indonesian policy would be the country's economic recovery. The new cabinet line-up seemed to have pleased Jakarta's financial markets. Analysts gave Wahid's selection high marks though they warned that the market was currently experiencing a wait-and-see period.
- Embargoed:
- Keywords:
- Access Restrictions:This media cannot be downloaded as there may be copyright restrictions. Please contact us for more information
- Location: INDONESIA DJAKARTA JAKARTA
- Reuters ID: LDL0012BT07SJ
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text:
- Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp