Prijadi reshuffles finance ministry<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Finance Minister Prijadi Praptosuhardjo
\ninstalled 34 new senior officials on Tuesday as part of a
\ncomprehensive restructuring program at the powerful ministry.<\/p>\n
Prijadi said that the massive reshuffle was a must because the
\nministry needed fresh people in order to meet the ambitious
\ntargets set in the 2001 state budget, and to overcome various
\nchallenges.<\/p>\n
\"The challenges in 2001 will be tough. We need to reorganize
\nour resources and modify working methods,\" he said at the
\ninauguration ceremony.<\/p>\n
\"These officials will spearhead the ministry,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Prijadi installed 20 director-level officials within the
\ndirectorate general of tax, and seven within the directorate
\ngeneral for the development of state-owned enterprises.<\/p>\n
Among of the new senior tax officials are Petronius Saragih as
\ndirector for tax planning and tax systems, Taufieq Herman as
\ndirector for income tax, I Made Gde Erata as director for value
\nadded tax and other indirect taxes, and Suharno as director for
\nland and building (property) tax.<\/p>\n
Prijadi also replaced the heads of 13 regional tax offices.
\nThe new officials included Achmad Sjarifuddin Alsah as the new
\nhead of the tax office in Medan (North Sumatra), Hasan Rachmani
\nin Palembang (South Sumatra), Hardi as the new head of Jakarta
\ntax office area I, Sumihar Petrus Tambunan for the Jakarta tax
\noffice area II, Muhammad Said for the Jakarta tax office special
\narea, Ichwan Fachruddin in Semarang (Central Java), Fadjar O.P.
\nSiahaan in Surabaya (East Java), Bambang Basuki in Pontianak
\n(West Kalimantan), Amri Zaman in Balikpapan (East Kalimantan),
\nDjonifar Abdul Fatah in Ujung Pandang (South Sulawesi), Mochamad
\nTjiptardjo in Manado (North Sulawesi), and Achmad Peris in
\nDenpasar (Bali).<\/p>\n
\"The tax office will face a very tough job because taxes are
\nthe main source of revenue for the state budget,\" Prijadi said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Roy Ronald Lino, who previously headed the customs
\nand excise office in Jakarta's Tandjung Priok Port, the country's
\nbusiest port, was promoted to director position within the
\nministry's internal audit division.<\/p>\n
Rumors have it that Prijadi was forced to replace Roy because
\nhe had been too aggressive when combating smuggling activities in
\nthe Jakarta area, including his recent success in foiling the
\nillegal import of luxury cars by a number of influential people.<\/p>\n
But director general of customs and excise Permana Agung
\ndismissed the rumors, saying that the reshuffle was a normal
\npractice aimed at getting fresh personnel in the office.<\/p>\n
There had also been rumors, from sources close to the
\nPresident, that Prijadi was planning to replace Permana and the
\ndirector general of tax Machmud Sidik.<\/p>\n
But Prijadi also dismissed those rumors. \"There is no such
\nplan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid commenced restructuring at the
\nfinance ministry by returning authority over the country's state-
\nowned enterprises last year.<\/p>\n
The ministry also oversees the Indonesian Bank Restructuring
\nAgency (IBRA), which controls more than Rp 600 trillion worth of
\nassets, including the ownership of various private companies
\ntransferred by ailing domestic banks and their former owners.<\/p>\n
Prijadi said that meeting the target set in the 2001 state
\nbudget would be a formidable task.<\/p>\n
He said that the ministry initially designed a relatively
\nconservative state budget, but the House of Representatives
\ninsisted on larger spending and higher revenue targets.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the government initially planned a revenue
\ntarget of Rp 243 trillion, equal to 17 percent of gross domestic
\nproduct (GDP), and a spending plan of Rp 295.1 trillion, equal to
\n21 percent of GDP, but these were respectively revised upward to
\nRp 263.2 trillion (18 percent of GDP) and Rp 315.8 trillion (22.2
\npercent of GDP).<\/p>\n
He said that a budget deficit was set at Rp 52.5 trillion,
\nequal to approximately 3.7 percent of GDP.<\/p>\n
\"We'll have to work all out this year to meet the target,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"It will be a very tough job, particularly as uncertainty
\ncontinues to haunt our economy,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Prijadi said that other challenges would arise from the recent
\nimplementation of the regional autonomy legislation, which gives
\nregions greater power in managing their political, social and
\neconomic affairs. (rei)<\/p>",
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