Indonesian president to have fatter cabinet in his remaining presidency term

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opted to have more people involved in his cabinet by appointing more deputy ministers, something that is widely criticized as the president's efforts to save the supports of political parties that have backed him in the last two years of his second presidency term. President Yudhoyono has selected 13 deputy ministers from several political parties for a coalition to support him. Selection in those deputy ministers was done last week in the president's private residence in Cikeas, West Java. It would add more people from parties in his cabinet that has already packed by many ministries from national mandate Party (PAN) , Nation's Awakening Party (PKB), Justice and Welfare Party (PKS), Democrat, United Development Party (PPP) and Golkar, political parties joined in the coalition. Analysts said that the appointment of those people shows strong influence of political parties in the president's government. On Monday, President Yudhoyono appointed six people to replace some ministers in his cabinet and the chief of the nation's intelligence agency of BIN. In line with speculation in recent weeks, the president named an acclaimed lawyer Amir Syamsuddin as justice and human rights minister to replace Patrialis Akbar. Amir was a Democrat party cadre. President Yudhoyono also appointed the chief of the state power utility firm of PLN, Dahlan Iskan to become the state enterprises minister.