Indonesia's new President Megawati Sukarnoputri and her deputy were finalizing their cabinet Monday as parties jostled for positions, with both leaders seeking broad support to ensure political stability after months of turmoil.
The line-up topped the agenda of a 90-minute meeting between Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz at the vice-presidential palace, from where Megawati is still working, a palace source said.
"The formation of the cabinet is taking quite a long time so as to avoid (future) reshuffles," Haz told reporters as he left the meeting at around midday, adding it would be announced in "the first week of August."
"The structure of the cabinet won't be different from the current one but I can't yet reveal the number and names of the ministers," the vice president said.
Ali Marwan Hanan, secretary general of Haz's conservative Muslim United Development Party, said the new executive body would have around 30 ministers compared to 26 in the outgoing body.
But Roy Janis, an official of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), predicted "30-plus" positions.
"That's because a lot of parties are asking for seats and the larger the cabinet, the more room to accommodate the parties' demands," Janis told AFP.
PDIP officials have been promising a multi-party cabinet in an acknowledgement of the cross-party support for Megawati's replacement of her impeached predecessor Abdurrahman Wahid on July 23 and as a guarantee against attempts to undermine the new administration.
A significant number of technocrats have also been promised.
Wahid's chaotic 21-month rule was marked by frequent squabbles with parliament and several cabinet reshuffles. Moves to impeach him, which began in January, paralysed the government in the past two months and put crucial economic recovery initiatives on hold.
Hanan said a cross-party group had forwarded some proposals on the cabinet make-up "but we don't know yet what the president's response is."
Akbar Tanjung, head of the former ruling party Golkar, said Megawati had yet to invite party leaders to discuss the line-up.
"We're just waiting and we won't take any steps before there are signs that Megawati indeed wants to consider our inputs," he was quoted as saying by Satunet online news, denying reports that Golkar had submitted a list of candidates.
Janis said a maximum of seven positions would be reserved for PDIP while local media said Golkar was likely to get five slots.
A controversial revival of the information ministry, which was disbanded by Wahid, was under discussion, Janis and Hanan confirmed.
"It would ensure balance in the news," Janis said. "Because with the press so free these days there's not much balanced news. But it won't control the press."
A foreign ministry official said Megawati was seeking a career diplomat as foreign minister.
"So far we have four likely candidates. One is the director general for political affairs, Hassan Wirayuda," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile Megawati has cancelled a decree issued by Wahid 11 months ago that handed over the daily running of the government to the vice president, her spokesman Bambang Kesowo said.
"The delegation of presidential duties to the vice president is perceived as no longer necessary," Kesowo said.
Wahid issued the decree last September in an attempt to appease Megawati, then his vice president, amid growing criticism that his decisions were erratic and autocratic.
Aides to Megawati said she complained that Wahid continued to overrule her despite the decree -- JAKARTA (AFP)
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