Minister Kwik comes to Megawati's defense

Minister Kwik comes to Megawati's defense

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

State Minister for National Development Planning Kwik Kian Gie
slammed President Megawati Soekarnoputri's critics, whom he said
had excessively and disproportionately criticized the President
and her one-year government.

Kwik argued that Megawati had really achieved something for
the nation over the last one year.

"It would be better for all sides, especially the President's
critics, to study more about the government's policies and
programs before they level their criticisms. It is not fair and
is unethical to criticize without good grounds," he said.

Kwik, who himself has criticized Megawati's policies several
times, pointed out that Megawati had defects in at least 13
areas, including her weak leadership and her controversial moves
to block reform.

He said, however, that since the first day she had came to
power Megawati has always given clear instructions and directions
as to what her aides should do, and all decisions were made with
her knowledge.

"The President always gives us the necessary directions, and
all regulations and decrees are issued after going through wide-
ranging process of discussion with her aides," Kwik claimed.

He was referring to Vice President Hamzah Haz's statement on
Monday that the President should give clear directions and
instructions to ministers before they made decisions.

"If sometimes the Cabinet ministers have had differences of
opinion, blame me and not the President because it was only me
who had dissenting views on certain economic issues," he
remarked.

Kwik, who is also chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle's development and research center, defended
Megawati's support for Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso's bid for a
second term. He said that the President had her own reasons for
the controversial policy.

"Megawati will end her tenure within one-and-a-half years, so
she considers it better to retain Sutiyoso, who knows well what
she wants him to do.

"Although I admit that it could be a foolish move to go
against the people's political wishes," the minister added.

Kwik said further that Megawati, in her capacity as PDI
Perjuangan chairwoman, had received from the party's congress a
mandate to do whatever she wanted to, including supporting
Sutiyoso.

Kwik also said that so far there had been no indication at all
that Megawati was extending privileges to her relatives and
associates, or was trying to set herself up as a dictator.

"I don't understand why there is such huge anti-Megawati
sentiment except that, from what I can see, this sentiment is
being orchestrated by certain vested interests," he said without
elaborating.