Ginandjar laughs off rumor on reshuffle

JAKARTA (JP): "I will not give up this seat, this is very valuable," said Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita with a big smile when he was asked to move from his seat by a protocol officer during a press conference Friday.

The minister was asked to exchange seats with Minister of Finance Bambang Subianto who wanted to speak after him, as all the microphones and tape recorders were in front of Ginandjar.

In an apparent attempt to play down a tabloid report that President B.J. Habibie plans to drop him in a cabinet reshuffle, Ginandjar cracked jokes in the media briefing held after a meeting of the Economic and Finance Resilience Council's chaired by Habibie at the State Guest House.

Minister of Industry and Trade Rahardi Ramelan, Minister of Finance Bambang Subianto, Bank Indonesia Governor Sjahril Sabirin and State Minister of National Development Planning Boediono were also present at the briefing.

"I feel very relieved now," Ginandjar joked when Rahardi left the briefing as he had another appointment at his ministry. Rahardi is reportedly favored to replace Ginandjar.

"I want to lengser (abdicate) now," Rahardi joked before leaving Ginandjar and his colleagues. The ministers burst into laughter.

Lengser was uttered by Soeharto to state his wish to step down from power weeks before the pressure mounted on him so that he ultimately was forced to step down.

Kontan economic tabloid, in last week's edition, speculated that Habibie might drop several senior officials and ministers from his cabinet.

According to the tabloid, Ginandjar, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Alleviation Haryono Suyono, State Minister of the Empowerment of State Enterprises Tanri Abeng, BI Governor Sjahril Sabirin and State Logistics Agency Chairman Beddu Amang are among those facing dismissal.

Habibie retained Ginandjar in his current post when he took over the presidency from Soeharto in May.

In the critical hours before Soeharto's resignation on May 21, Ginandjar and 10 other ministers told the former president they were no longer able to work as his aides, increasing pressure on the president.

Citing unnamed sources, Kontan said Habibie was disappointed with the results of Ginandjar's recent trip to Japan and the glitches in the disbursement of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) loan to Indonesia.

Rumors of Ginandjar's impending departure from the cabinet continue to circulate despite his consistent denials. He said he would continue to serve in the cabinet as long as the President still needed him.

Japanese press recently quoted Minister of Defense/Armed Forces Commander (ABRI) Gen. Wiranto as telling a visiting Japanese delegation that the President might reshuffle his cabinet in a bid to accelerate the reform process.

Another jest about the rumored reshuffle came from Ginandjar when Minister of Finance Bambang Subianto concluded an eloquent explanation to the media about the currency turmoil.

"You have the talent to be minister of foreign affairs," Ginandjar told Bambang. (prb)