Joedono removed in cabinet reshuffle<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto in an unprecedented move
\nyesterday reshuffled his cabinet, merging the industry and trade
\nministries into one, and leaving trade minister Satrio Budiardjo
\nJoedono without a job.<\/p>\n
Under the reshuffle, which was announced by Minister\/State
\nSecretary Moerdiono in his office yesterday afternoon, all the
\nother ministers of the Sixth Development Cabinet, formed in March
\n1993, retained their posts.<\/p>\n
Tunky Ariwibowo, the previous industry minister, has taken the
\nexpanded portfolio of minister of trade and industry, a move that
\nenjoins the two previous ministries into one agency modeled on
\nthe Japanese' Ministry of International Trade and Industry, more
\npopularly known as MITI.<\/p>\n
The other change was over the title of coordinating minister
\nof industry and trade, held by Hartarto. His title has been
\nchanged to Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution.<\/p>\n
This is the first time that President Soeharto has removed a
\ncabinet minister half way through the cabinet's five-year term.
\nIn previous five cabinets, changes were only made at the end of
\nthe term, or when a minister died.<\/p>\n
"The decision was taken after President Soeharto conducted his
\nsubuh (dawn) prayer this morning," Moerdiono told reporters.<\/p>\n
He declined to call the changes a reshuffle. "The President
\ndid not use the term cabinet reshuffle. He called it a regrouping
\nof the cabinet."<\/p>\n
There will be no swearing in of the officials either because
\nthe two ministers affected by the changes, Hartarto and Tunky,
\nhave already been sworn in as ministers in 1993. "There is no
\nneed for that."<\/p>\n
"The new structure, the new positions, the new titles come
\ninto force today," Moerdiono said, adding that with regards to
\nthe displaced Joedono, the President is considering appointing
\nhim to an ambassadorial post in Europe.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono explained that the President had been thinking about
\nchanging the cabinet for the past few months in view of the
\ndevelopment of the local economy as well as the world economy
\nover the last two years.<\/p>\n
He underlined the opportunities that are being offered by
\nthese recent developments. "These economic opportunities can be
\ntapped to the full and in timely manner if we can enhance
\ncoordination, integration, synchronization and simplification in
\nthe government," he said.<\/p>\n
He said domestic and international trade sectors must be
\ngeared to support Indonesia's industrial sector, which is
\nregarded as the "prime engine" of national development in terms
\nof job creation and export potential.<\/p>\n
"Recently, we have felt the urgency to step up our non-oil
\nexports and the industrial sector is the motor for our economic
\ndevelopment," he said.<\/p>\n
With the changes, there are still four coordinating ministers
\nin the cabinet: one for the economy, finance and development
\nsupervision, one for production and distribution, one for
\npolitical and security affairs and one for people's welfare.<\/p>\n
Each of these coordinating ministers supervise the activities
\nof ministers under their charge.<\/p>\n
While the coordinating minister for the economy and finance
\nlooks after the macro-economic aspects, the coordinating minister
\nof production and distribution takes care of the micro-economic
\naspects.<\/p>\n
"Experience has shown that macro economic policies and micro
\neconomic policies are equally important. They have to support one
\nanother," Moerdiono said.<\/p>\n
He added tongue-in-cheek that the planned changes were kept
\ntightly under lids until the announcement yesterday. "I'm happy,
\nthis time there were no leaks." (team)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/joedono-removed-in-cabinet-reshuffle-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}