Let govt overcome crisis: Harmoko<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): House Speaker Harmoko is surrendering all
\ndecision-making on the Indonesian monetary crisis to the
\ngovernment, including on whether officials should take pay cuts
\nas an austerity measure.<\/p>\n
\"Let's leave it to the executive branch. We believe the
\ngovernment will be able to overcome the monetary crisis,\" Harmoko
\nsaid here yesterday.<\/p>\n
He was pressed by reporters on whether Indonesia should
\nemulate neighboring Malaysia and Thailand, which had cut
\nofficials' salaries in the face of economic turmoil.<\/p>\n
Harmoko, before becoming House Speaker several months ago, was
\na cabinet minister for 14 years and is presently chairman of the
\nruling Golkar.<\/p>\n
\"If you ask me as chairman of Golkar on how to... overcome
\nthe monetary crisis, then I am calling on all of us to be
\nfrugal,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Let's live simply, modestly. Those who are able should help
\nthe weak and the poor. That's the way. Live simply,\" he said.
\n\"This (living simply) would be help enough... because we are
\nbeing swept by the turmoil, which does not only affect
\nmacroeconomics, but also microeconomics, and those who live at
\nthe lower layers.\"<\/p>\n
\"I've told many people to follow a way of living which is
\nfrugal, simple and modest,\" he added.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, it was reported the Thai cabinet pushed through
\na 20 percent cut in the monthly salaries of government ministers,
\ntheir assistants, and legislators.<\/p>\n
The cabinet has not yet decided whether it will cut salaries
\nof opposition MPs.<\/p>\n
The salary cuts, which will be implemented for one year
\nstarting Dec. 1, 1997, are expected to save the government
\nseveral million baht a month.<\/p>\n
Thailand has cut its budget for fiscal year 1997 and 1998
\nthree times in recent months to meet the tough requirements
\nplaced on a US$17.2 billion rescue package brokered by the
\nInternational Monetary Fund in August.<\/p>\n
Last week, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad pushed
\nthe private sector to trim high salaries paid to senior
\nexecutives in the wake of the economic turmoil, reports said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
The request followed that of Deputy Prime Minister Anwar
\nIbrahim, who said the government would cut the salaries of
\nministers and senior government officers as part of measures to
\ninstill confidence in the financial system. (swe\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/let-govt-overcome-crisis-harmoko-1447893297",
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