Clear rules needed to avoid defamation, Aburizal says

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post/Busan, South Korea

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Aburizal Bakrie supports President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's plan to issue an instruction that will clearly forbid government officials from misusing their authority for business interests.

Aburizal, himself a former business magnate, said here on Friday that the instruction should be made transparent and clear in order to prevent public misperceptions, which could eventually lead to defamation.

"I will support the planned instruction as it will protect government officials, like myself, from becoming a victim of slander by the mass media. The instruction should be clear, so the public understands," he said.

Being under the spotlight in the past few months -- especially with Susilo receiving intense pressure to replace him due to what some commentators described as a poor performance -- Aburizal made the comment in response to the president's statement on Thursday. That statement was made during an unscheduled press conference aboard his plane an hour before landing at a military air base in Busan to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Assembly.

Susilo expressed concerns over indications that several high- ranking government officials had been misusing their authority to enrich their family, friends and colleagues by trying to secure government projects.

Susilo dubbed these officials "dual-function politicians" who are "running their businesses at the expense of the state". He said the officials did not need to be directly involved in the businesses, but could give access or leak information to their relatives or business partners.

Although Aburizal officially retired from the family business, under the flagship of the Bakrie & Brothers Group, when appointed as minister in October 2004, critics have remained skeptical about whether he actually refrains from all involvement.

Other Cabinet members with business backgrounds include Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris, State Minister of Cooperatives, and Small and Medium Enterprises Surya Dharma Ali, State Minister of State Enterprises Sugiharto and Minister of Forestry Malam Sambat Kaban.

Aburizal added that the presidential instruction should also speak to the involvement of military officials, police officers and lecturers, as they have similar opportunities to misuse their authority for their own interests.

"(A state official) who was formerly a businessman is similar to soldiers, police and lecturers. The instruction should also cover former professionals from these kinds of jobs," he said.

Elsewhere, a source close to Susilo said the President had consulted with Vice President Jusuf Kalla before announcing the planned instruction in a bid to prevent conflict or public misperception.

Aside from being the leader of the influential Golkar Party, Kalla is a former businessman, who headed up the Hadji Kalla Group and the Bukaka Group; both currently run by his relatives.

"Before leaving for Busan, Bapak (Susilo) spent around 40 minutes with the vice president at a lounge in Halim Perdanakusuma airport honing the details of the instruction," the source said.

The source said Susilo needed to discuss the issue with Kalla as he wanted to steer clear of any misunderstanding or create confusion among the public, who might be misled into thinking that he was trying to attack certain members of his Cabinet.