Indonesian president plans cabinet reshuffle

Jakarta, Apr 20: Indonesia's cabinet is likely to see alimited reshuffle within weeks, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono saidtoday, as a new opinion poll showed the popularity of hisadministration continued to sag.

Speculation has been rife in recent weeks of an imminent change inthe cabinet line-up, following public rebuke over the government'shandling of a number of issues including a series of plane and maritimedisasters.

President Yudhoyono's popularity had fallen to its lowest levelsince coming to power in late 2004, the leading Kompas daily reportedtoday. The survey was conducted this month and was based on replies by1,622 respondents.

''God willing, I will announce a limited cabinet reshuffle inearly May, approximately within the next two weeks,'' Yudhoyono toldreporters after attending today prayers at a mosque in the capital.

''Hopefully, this will lead to good results. This is aimed atimproving the effectiveness of the government.'' He declined toelaborate on his plans.

Local media have reported that among those likely to be replacedare Transport Minister Hatta Radjasa, who has come under fire over therecent transport disasters.

There have been two fatal air accidents since the start of the year and two ferry accidents killing hundreds of people.

Another minister who may be replaced is the home affairs minister, Mohammad Ma'ruf, who is seriously ill.

There have also been calls for the chief welfare minister,Aburizal Bakrie, to be replaced after an energy firm linked to theminister was blamed for causing an environmental disaster.

A mud volcano has been spewing from the ground near an oil welldrilled by the firm in East Java, displacing thousands of people anddamaging infrastructure.

State enterprises minister, Sugiarto, has also been fingered as apossible casualty, although there has been no strong talk that any ofthe top economic portfolios will be changed.

Indonesia faces huge challenges ranging from widespread poverty tomassive unemployment and disputes over whether to impose Islamic-stylelaw in the overwhelmingly Muslim country, the world's fourth mostpopulous.

Yudhoyono, an ex-general, won Indonesia's first directpresidential vote in October 2004 on a pledge to root out corruption,seen as endemic, cut poverty and uphold the rule of law.

But the Kompas survey revealed that an increasing number ofrespondents were unhappy with his administration, with 47.2 per centsaying they were dissatisfied compared to 24.4 per cent of respondentsin a survey in January 2005.

Reuters