Habibie names his team of economic advisors

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie appointed three senior economists as advisors yesterday and revamped the Economic and Monetary Resilience Council in a bid to accelerate revival of the country's ailing economy, a minister said yesterday.

Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said former president Soeharto's two economic advisors Widjojo Nitisastro and Ali Wardhana along with former minister of finance Frans Seda would assist the president with all problems affecting the country's economy.

"The measure is designed to turn the president's intention and determination to take proactive policies to resolve the country's (economic) problems into something more concrete," Akbar said yesterday.

The three economists were key Soeharto advisors when the former president came to power in 1967. Soeharto retained Widjojo and Ali as advisors until he stepped down last March. Both are widely respected by the international business community.

Frans became a businessman after leaving the cabinet early in the 1970s.

Widjojo played a key role during negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international financial institutions earlier this year.

According to Akbar, Habibie appointed Widjojo chairman of the resilience council, while State Minister of National Development Planning/Chairman of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Boediono was appointed secretary general. He replaces Salim Group executive Anthony Salim, who recently resigned from the position.

Widjojo was previously Soeharto's deputy on the council.

Chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry (Kadin) Aburizal Bakrie and head of Indonesia's corporate offshore debt team Radius Prawiro have also been given positions on the council.

The announcement of Boediono's appointment contradicts a claim made on Friday by Aburizal that he had been appointed secretary general but had not yet received official confirmation.

The council was established to help monitor the implementation of a 50-point reform plan agreed between Soeharto and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for a US$43 billion rescue package.

Soeharto appointed Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita as executive chairman of the council shortly before Habibie replaced him as the country's leader on May 21. (prb)