Indonesian president unveils new cabinet

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday announced a new cabinet line up, replacing several ministers in a bid to boost work performance of his administration and shore up supports. Under the reshuffle the president increased two professionals at his cabinet change two ministerial posts, which may help boost confidence of investors on his priority to boost economic growth and reduce poverty. "It aims at facilitating more professionals which can boost the effectiveness of the cabinet," Yudhoyono told a press conference. The president replaced the posts at trade ministry, state-owned enterprises ministry, energy ministry, environment ministry, transport ministry, tourism ministry, research and technology ministry, marine and fisheries ministry, ministry of empowerment state apparatus and bureaucracy, and state intelligence. President Yudhoyono appointed Gita Wirjawan, chief of investment board and former banker as new trade minister, Dahlan Iskan, president director of state electricity firm as new minister of state-owned enterprises. Both of the new ministers have good track records as reformist professionals and have no links with any political party. Wirjawan has contributed on a significant hike of the foreign investment flowing into the country, while Iskan has helped increase electricity supply. "With the current global economic situation I want our trade can penetrate global markets," said Yudhoyono. President Yudhoyono picked up former minister of tourism Jero Wacik as energy minister, senior lawyer Amir Syamuddin as minister of law and human rights and Berth Kambuaya current rector of Cendrawasih University in Papua as environment minister. With the new leader in energy minister the president expected the country's security energy could be achieved. The president appointed E.E. Mangindaan, former minister of empowerment state apparatus and bureaucracy was picked as transport minister, politician Syarif Cicip Sutarjo as minister of marine and fishery, Gian Farid, lawmaker, as housing minister, Gusti Muhammad Hatta, former environment minister as research and technology minister, Marciano Norman, former commander force for presidential security as new intelligent chief, and Azwar Abubakar, a member of Commission One in charge of politics of the parliament as minister of state apparatus. "I want within the next three years the reform on bureaucracy can be success," said Yudhoyono. The reshuffle was made following the decline of Yudhoyono popularity by up to 38 percent according to a survey after several of his ministers allegedly involved in grafts and love affair scandals, creating image that his administration has not done enough to fight rampant corruption. Former minister for state owned enterprises Mustapa Abubakar is replaced for his hearth attack, while former trade minister Mari Elka Pangestu, respected in international fora, including the G20 and World Trade Organization, had often in disagreements with ministers who insist to protect domestic interests. President Yudhoyono who was re-elected for the second term in July 2009, had vowed to strengthen reforms, including fighting rampant grafts and improve bureaucracy, that he had done in his 5- year first term. Under his leadership, Indonesia's economy has held up well amid the global economic downturn recently, as it has been better prepared. President Yudhoyono has set a target of an annual economic growth average of 6.6 percent by the end of his term in 2014 so as to reduce poverty. Sound-macro economic fundamentals, accelerating economic growth by moderate level, relatively stable political condition, emerging growth and growing wealth amid expectation to jump to investment grade, had lured seeking-to-higher yields fund in the advanced nations applying nearly-to-zero interest rate. Nevertheless, the government still struggles to address the bottle necks, such as land acquisition regulation and poor bureaucracy, in developing infrastructure facilities. So far the president has appointed 19 new deputy ministers, whom all of them are professionals from outside of political parties. Analysts have said that the decision aimed at keeping ministerial posts filled by those from political parties coalition, including Golkar Party, the Justice and Prosperous Party, National Mandate Party and the United Development Party. President Yudhoyono was re-elected for the second term with a single majority, which make him gave ministerial posts to several political parties to get support. More than a half of the ministerial posts are filled by those from coalition parties.