Entering a new phase

Entering a new phase

Relations between the Indonesian government and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) have entered a new phase. After
having been frozen since last Sept. 15, ties between the two were
restored on Tuesday. The IMF suspended disbursement of aid on the
consideration that the Indonesian government was not serious
enough in its efforts to resolve the Bank Bali case.

However, one more test lies in front of us. This concerns the
question of how strictly we are going to enforce the law in this
matter. In this respect, we should give our trust to our new
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, who just days after his
appointment pledged to appropriately pursue the legal case
against former president Soeharto.

The revival of our economy does not depend on the resolution
of the Bank Bali scandal alone. This case, however, is the first
crucial test and also the hardest which our new government has to
face. The confidence of investors, the market and international
institutions such as the IMF will be restored if the government
succeeds in satisfactorily settling this case.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta