Abdurrahman lashes out at his Cabinet in public

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid openly criticized his Cabinet -- particularly the economic team -- on Thursday, banning ministers from overseas travel until they are able to resolve a pressing problem with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The President said he would chair a special Cabinet meeting on Saturday to discuss ways of speeding up the implementation of reform programs Indonesia had committed to under a loan agreement with the IMF.

The President could not hide his disappointment with the IMF decision to delay the disbursement of the next tranche of its loan to Indonesia.

He said he would ask his ministers to identify the problems in carrying out the programs mandated by the IMF.

Speaking in a joint media briefing with visiting Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf at Merdeka Palace, the President said the problems with the IMF must be resolved because there could be serious consequences.

"I have asked them (the ministers) to prepare a report on Saturday. There are many items that need to be discussed further," Abdurrahman said.

The meeting will also tackle preparations for next month's meeting with the Paris Club of creditor nations to negotiate Indonesia's plans to reschedule US$2.1 billion of foreign debts.

The President said he was not satisfied with the progress his Cabinet members had been making, especially the economic team, and said they should perform better.

The IMF chief representative in Jakarta, John Dodsworth, warned that a delay in the IMF aid might cause difficulties for Indonesia to secure a deal from the Paris Club.

Earlier, Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab said the President had banned his ministers from making foreign trips, at least until the problem with the IMF has been resolved.

The ban does not apply to the foreign minister.

"Ministers have been told not to go abroad. In the past they went overseas to lure investors to Indonesia. But if the domestic situation remains uncertain, such trips are pointless," Alwi said after meeting with the President at Bina Graha presidential office.

Minister of Industry and Trade Yusuf Kalla became the first victim of the policy initiated by the President on Wednesday. Yusuf cut short an overseas trip and returned on Thursday, instead of next Tuesday as originally planned.

Echoing the President's complaint to the Cabinet, Alwi said ministers should show a greater sense of urgency.

Alwi said the President was not satisfied with the performances of some of the economic ministers.

He singled out Minister of Forestry and Plantation Nur Mahmudi Ismail and Attorney General Marzuki Darusman as being among those who were doing a poor job.

The President was nevertheless optimistic that the government would be able to satisfactorily resolve the problem with the IMF, he said.

Alwi conceded that the government failed to anticipate difficulties in realizing its commitments under the IMF program, such as resolving the corporate debt restructuring problem.

"When we signed the agreement with the IMF there were several factors we did not anticipate," Alwi said. (prb)