SBY’s Ailing Ministers!

Jakarta, (Voice NGO) - THE Second United Indonesia Cabinet (KiB) is only two years old. However, one by one the ministers have ‘fallen’ in the middle of the road. The causes range from domestic issues to ministers suffering from illness.

If sickness is the main reason for a minister to resign or step down, the people will then begin to question the results of medical tests of senior state officials before they are appointed. University of Indonesia (UI) political observer Iberamsjah emphasizes that health should be the primary consideration for a president to appoint his assistants (ministers).


This is because the job of minister or even deputy minister is a strategic position that demands great responsibility, and so it takes a person who is not only skilled in the concerned field, but is also tough physically or in prime health.

“The appointment of ministers or deputy ministers is indeed the prerogative of the president. But that prerogative should not necessarily disregard other considerations such as the issue of health that actually is the main capital for a prospective minister or deputy minister,” he told The 1st Times in Jakarta, Thursday (3/5).

According to his assessment, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has actually ignored the health status of his aides and has given more consideration to political factors as well as emotional closeness. “If SBY does not like a person, then he is not sworn in as a minister despite the candidate being healthier and more skilled than the other candidates,” he continued.

As a result, a number of ministers and deputy ministers have had to discontinue midway because of health factors. For instance, Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih who eventually died of lung cancer. This is also the case with Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR) Widjajono Partowidagdo due to a heart attack. Earlier, State-owned Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar had a stroke and was replaced by Dahlan Iskan. Ironically, Dahlan himself is also rumored to have a history of liver cancer.

“If a minister or deputy minister has to stop halfway, it would surely affect the performance of government. For example, the EMR Deputy Minister, he was indeed an expert in the field of energy as compared to the minister. The present condition in the Ministry of Energy will definitely affect the performance of the ministry,” he stressed.

Met with separately, constitutional law observer Irman Putrasidin said the appointment of ministers and deputy ministers is the prerogative of the president. For this reason, although a person is diagnosed with chronic illness, if the president wishes, none can prohibit him from appointing the person. He is also of the opinion that medical tests are no longer required for prospective ministers and deputy ministers.

“For example, an aspiring minister has been told by the doctor that he has only 20 days to live, but if the president judges he has the necessary skills then it is his prerogative to appoint the person. Hence, medical tests are not important anymore,” he said. (the1sttime.net/s.lsm