Plan to appoint Laksamana IBRA chief opposed

Plan to appoint Laksamana IBRA chief opposed

JAKARTA (JP): Legislators expressed strong objections on
Friday to the government's plan to appoint the State Minister for
State Enterprises, Laksamana Sukardi, as chief of the Indonesian
Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA), saying the move would inhibit
the privatization program and the sale of IBRA-held assets.

"If the state minister for state enterprises is also appointed
as IBRA chief, the targets of both the privatization program and
the sale of IBRA-held assets will not be met," said legislator
Syamsul Balda of the Reform Faction.

"State Minister Laksamana already has so many problems that
have to be resolved by the Office of the State Minister for State
Enterprises, we should not be giving him extra work," said Faisal
Baasir of the United Development Faction.

Rumors that Laksamana would be appointed IBRA chief surfaced
almost immediately after President Megawati Soekarnoputri
presented to the House of Representatives (DPR) the 2002 state
budget targeting Rp 6.5 trillion (US$714 million) in proceeds
from the privatization of state enterprises and Rp 42.8 trillion
from the sale of IBRA-held assets.

Proponents argue that with Laksamana as IBRA chief, the
privatization of state enterprises and the sale of IBRA assets
could be expected to proceed smoothly.

But according to Syamsul, there is no guarantee that the
privatization and IBRA asset-sale targets will be achieved if
Laksamana holds the two positions concurrently.

"There will be conflicts of interest that could make it
difficult for Laksamana to achieve the targets," he said without
elaborating.

IBRA chief I Gde Ary Putu Suta told The Jakarta Post on Friday
that he had not received any information about his replacement.

"I often meet with State Minister Laksamana and he has never
said anything about my replacement," Putu said.

He said he was still in charge of the day-to-day operations of
the powerful agency and submitted reports to State Minister
Laksamana, Minister of Finance Boediono and Coordinating Minister
for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti.

"Let Putu continue his work so that IBRA can meet its 2002
target," Syamsul said, adding that Putu had demonstrated a good
track record and a high degree of professionalism.

"As state minister for state enterprises, Laksamana would have
no time to sell off IBRA-held assets," said Golkar legislator
Paskah Suzetta, adding that his faction would oppose any move to
place IBRA under the Office of the State Minister for State
Enterprises. (03)