President urged to reshuffle economic ministers
President urged to reshuffle economic ministers
JAKARTA (JP): The clamor is growing for President Abdurrahman
Wahid to fire his economic ministers amid public impatience over
their perceived inability to pull the country out of the economic
crisis.
Deputy executive director of the Centre for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS) J. Kristiadi said on Monday the
President, who is nicknamed Gus Dur, should reshuffle his
economic lineup.
"The President should soon 'overhaul' his ministers because
people who have suffered for so long are growing impatient,"
Kristiadi said at a news conference on the six-month-old
government's performance.
"Gus Dur actually wanted to reshuffle the ministers but he
expected public support."
He said new ministers should be competent, free from vested
interests, understand the gravity of the country's problems and
be willing to suffer the people's hardships.
The government's performance did not indicate an understanding
of the momentous problems facing the country, he said, pointing
to turmoil caused by issues of rice prices, sugar imports,
proposed fuel price hikes and hefty allowance increases for high-
ranking civil servants.
He said the problems indicated cooperation and coordination
among the ministers was weak.
The public did not understand the Cabinet's gradual approach
to effecting recovery, he warned.
"Consequently, people are impatient and easily drawn into mass
disturbances," Kristiadi said.
The center's executive director, Hadi Soesastro, said the
ministers' lacked vision.
"I agree with a reshuffle, but not only the ministers, the
system should also be improved," said the noted economist.
He also faulted the ministers for sluggishness, such as in the
slow application of the letter of intent with the International
Monetary Fund (IMF).
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung also
criticized the President's economic team last week, saying they
lacked a comprehensive economic vision.
He said it caused the postponement of an IMF loan.
Many analysts believe Abdurrahman's establishment of economic
councils is an indicator of his lack of confidence in his
economic ministers.
Premature
Chairman of the National Business Recovery Council (DPUN)
Sofjan Wanandi decried as premature the calls for a reshuffle.
"It is not fair to judge the performance of a minister or a
Cabinet only five months old. The economic team of ministers
consists of personnel from various political parties. They need
time to consolidate. Let us give them more time. It's too early
to judge their performance," Sofjan said in Surabaya on Monday.
He said there was no immediate plan for a Cabinet reshuffle.
"What I heard is the President is giving the ministers' time
while he evaluates their performance."
Sofjan, who also heads the Gemala Group, predicted that
foreign investors would return by year's end or early next year.
"They are just skeptical about law and order in Indonesia.
Political stability, legal certainty are everything to them. They
are in a wait-and-see position."
To deal with labor-related problems, a meeting between DPUN,
the Ministry of Manpower, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and 20
labor unions will be held at the State Palace on Wednesday,
Sofjan said.
"We will discuss economic and labor-related problems. We have
to think about 36 million members of the work force who remain
jobless.
"The President will witness the meeting. Business recovery and
political stability need support, especially the workers with
their various demands." (jun/nur/sur)