Kwik to quit if principles are compromised<\/p>\n
Dadan Wijaksana
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
State Minister of National Development Planning Kwik Kian Gie
\nsaid he would rather resign from his post than compromise his
\nprinciples over differences with his colleagues in the Cabinet.<\/p>\n
His statement on Wednesday further highlights the apparent end
\nof the honeymoon for the 6-month-old economic team, which has
\ncome under fire for its controversial policies of late.<\/p>\n
The outspoken Kwik said he could tolerate differences but \"if
\nthey are so huge and revolve around principle matters and concern
\nvery important issues, then I would resign.\"<\/p>\n
He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a hearing
\nwith the House of Representatives' Commission VIII on
\nEnvironment, Science and Technology.<\/p>\n
Kwik did not give details about the issues that were causing
\nthe apparent rift.<\/p>\n
Once dubbed the \"dream team\", President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's senior economic ministers appear increasingly
\ndivided over a number of issues.<\/p>\n
The latest being a public debate over a government plan to
\ngrant indebted former bankers an extension of up to 10 years to
\nrepay huge debts to the government.<\/p>\n
Calling it unreasonable, Kwik has repeatedly, and publicly,
\nopposed such a plan, saying the extension agreement would only
\nbenefit the reluctant debtors at the expense of the people's
\nsense of justice.<\/p>\n
Unlike his colleagues, Kwik is standing firmly on the other
\nend of the rope.<\/p>\n
Kwik's resistance should come as a surprise as he is a member
\nof the powerful Financial Sector Policy Committee (FSPC), from
\nwhich the new plan was first approved.<\/p>\n
He said earlier that the decision was made even though he
\ndisagreed with it.<\/p>\n
Finance Minister Boediono has kept silent on the issue,
\nalthough there is speculation that he too opposes the extension.<\/p>\n
An interministerial team is reviewing the plan in response to
\npublic criticism, and is expected to present a solution next
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Kwik created more public uproar when he told the Kompas daily
\nthat the government should delay the ongoing sale of Bank Central
\nAsia (BCA).<\/p>\n
He questioned whether BCA, if owned by foreign investors,
\nshould still receive public funded earnings from state bonds on
\nwhich BCA earns some Rp 5 trillion (about US$480 million) a year.<\/p>\n
His comment came on the very day that bidders for BCA must
\nsubmit their final bids, and after nearly two years of
\nunsuccessful attempts to return the bank into private hands.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kwik-to-quit-if-principles-are-compromised-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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