BI staff plan to protest against Aulia appointment<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia employees plan to meet with
\nleaders of the House of Representatives to protest the
\nreappointment of Aulia Pohan as deputy governor of the central
\nbank, according to a senior official at Bank Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Bank Indonesia director for banknotes supervision H.Y.
\nSusmanto said on Monday that Aulia Pohan was deemed not suitable
\nfor the position because he had created a clique and intimidated
\nother staff at the central bank.<\/p>\n
"This is the allegation of Bank Indonesia staff," Susmanto
\ntold reporters following a meeting with the central bank board of
\ngovernors.<\/p>\n
"We plan to meet the House leaders tomorrow or the next day
\ndepending on the schedule of the legislators," he added.<\/p>\n
Sjahril proposed three names for the new position of deputy
\ngovernor including Bank Indonesia senior officials Burhanuddin
\nAbdullah, Cyrillus Harinowo, and Aulia.<\/p>\n
Aulia was supposed to end his term next month, but the
\nlegislators reappointed him to fill the position of Iwan R.
\nPrawiranata, who also will end his term in April.<\/p>\n
The House Commission IX on banking and state budget last week
\npicked Aulia as deputy governor of the central bank. The final
\napproval of Aulia's reappointment will be made at a House plenary
\nhearing on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The House Commission IX also decided to reduce the number of
\ndeputy governors from seven to six.<\/p>\n
Some 300 Bank Indonesia employees issued a statement on Sunday
\nprotesting the reappointment of Aulia.<\/p>\n
The protesting staff also urged the House to reduce the number
\nof Bank Indonesia deputies to five instead of six as the role of
\nthe new independent central bank has been reduced to supervision
\nof monetary policy only.<\/p>\n
They said that six deputies were "too many" and "inefficient".<\/p>\n
"Bank Indonesia responsibilities have been significantly
\nreduced. It's no longer involved in channeling credit, a function
\nrequiring extensive administrative work," said head of overseas
\nloan division, Lukman Bunyamin.<\/p>\n
However, Susmanto said that if the House decided to continue
\nwith its choice, Bank Indonesia staff would not continue with the
\nprotest and would not strike.<\/p>\n
"We're committed to remain at work. But if the House decides
\nto continue with its choice, I'm afraid that the credibility of
\nthe board of governors will be diminished," he said.<\/p>\n
Susmanto also said that Bank Indonesia Governor Sjahril
\nSabirin welcomed the peaceful protest held by the staff and the
\ndecision not to hold a strike.<\/p>\n
"We didn't expect Aulia to win. Even Sjahril himself did not
\nexpect Aulia to win," Susmanto said in response to question why
\nthey didn't protest when Aulia was named as a candidate.<\/p>\n
There have been allegations in the media that "money politics"
\nwas involved in the reappointment of Aulia.<\/p>\n
The Bank Indonesia staff also protested the backing of Aulia
\nby the Golkar Party, the political machine of former president
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
They said that the involvement of a political party would
\nthreaten the independence of the central bank.(rei)<\/p>",
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