Jakarta, Oct 22 (DPA) Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono oversaw the swearing in of his newly-appointed cabinet ministers Thursday after receiving a strong mandate in July’s election.
In his inauguration speech, Yudhoyono reminded the ministers that their tasks in the next five years would not be easy under the existing global economic crisis and complex domestic problems.

“You must prepare yourselves mentally and physically to work hard for the sake of the people,” Yudhoyono told the ministers at the Presidential Palace.

Yudhoyono reminded the ministers of the pact to maintain integrity and performance they had signed when interviewed for the ministerial positions.

“I hope what has been signed would be undertaken,” he said, adding that he would evaluate the ministers’ performance every year in accordance with the pact of integrity and performance contract.

Analysts said that in selecting the ministers Yudhoyono had emphasized political compromise rather than capability, with an aim at controlling his political coalition.

Of the 34 appointed ministers and three minister-level officials, more than half are career politicians, rather than technocrats or professionals. This was despite the fact that Yudhoyono received an overwhelming majority of the popular vote in July’s election.

However, Yudhoyono insisted that his cabinet choices were based on a “rational and objective” selection process. He maintained Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who has been credited with reforming the notoriously corrupt bureaucracy, as finance minister, while Mari Elka Pangestu kept the trade portfolio.

Yudhoyono won July’s presidential election by a landslide, allowing him a freer hand to pick cabinet members.

He has pledged to boost economic growth, continue a fight against endemic corruption and uphold the rule of law in his second, final term as the leader of the world’s fourth most populous nation.

–dpa

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