Indonesia's new President Abdurrahman Wahid yesterday named a Cabinet short on experience but long on skills and integrity to lead his battered nation out of crisis.
He also put a civilian in charge of defense for the first time in decades, pushing aside armed forces commander General Wiranto following mounting criticism of the military for flagrant human rights abuses at home.
"We have to make economic recovery our first goal, primary goal, and the second to maintain our territorial integrity," Wahid told reporters after a nationally televised announcement of his new government.
Respected academic Juwono Sudarsono, one of only four of the Cabinet members to have previously been a minister, became the first civilian defense minister in well over a generation.
Wiranto, who was sidelined into the relatively toothless post of coordinating minister for political and security affairs, said the Indonesian military (TNI) would have no problem reporting to new civilian defense minister Juwono.
"For the TNI, the appointment of Juwono as the defense minister is no problem," said Wiranto.
Wahid insisted Juwono had been outgoing Wiranto's choice.
"Don't think the military is crazy. They know the whole society is changing ... that the military has to change its attitude towards society. Don't think like the international press, judging the military in the wrong way," he said.
"We have a strong military and we need them and also they know how to protect [society]. ... Some of our generals are good, some are bad, like in any other society."
In Wiranto's place as military commander, Wahid put Admiral Widodo Adi Sutjipto, the first non-army man to hold the post.
In a sign that complex horse-trading to please all sides had won out over the desire for fewer ministers, Wahid's Cabinet ended up about the same size as that of his predecessor, B.J. Habibie.
Representatives of all the six largest parties in parliament were given Cabinet-level posts.
Although Jakarta stocks and the rupiah currency fell back after the lineup turned out to be almost exactly as predicted, financial analysts were pleased with the new economic team.
The three key economic posts were handed out to members of two of the most strongly reform-oriented parties. The appointment of Kwik Kian Gie, a top Megawati aide and critic of corrupt practices under former President Suharto, was welcomed.
"Kwik Kian Gie is one of the market's favorites. He is popular for his sharp criticism of corruption in the old Suharto regime. His appointment has been widely expected," said Ferry Yosia Hartoyo, head of research at Vickers Ballas Tamara.
The new finance minister is Bambang Sudibyo, a US-trained academic and close to leading former opposition figure Amien Rais, who now heads the top legislative assembly.
A respected government is crucial for Wahid to lure back the foreign investment which all but vanished over the last two years as Indonesia ploughed deeper into economic and political mire.
One senior diplomat said the government had the resolve to attract investment, but the task was formidable. "This government has got to deal with expectations which are extremely high, which, of course, they can't meet," he said.
The International Monetary Fund, heading a US$45 billion rescue fund for Indonesia, has suspended loans to Indonesia until a domestic banking scandal is resolved.
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