Rahardi challenges associations over resignation call

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Industry and Trade Rahardi Ramelan has challenged critical business associations which recently demanded all economic ministers to quit, to talk the matter over at his office.

"If they really want economic ministers to quit, please come to my office and talk directly to me. I think it is fair enough," he said in commenting on newspaper reports that 12 industrial associations have asked him and other economic ministers to resign for not being capable enough in solving the industrial problem.

The minister said he did not understand why the organizations, which are mostly supervised by his office, made such a call because they only spoke to the press.

"I just read their protests in newspapers. So I don't know their motives," he said.

Twelve business associations urged the government on Thursday to speed up its moves to help revive the ailing industrial sector.

"If the government cannot handle the real sectors' problems, it would be better if the economic ministers quit," said the associations's spokesman Hariyadi B. Sukamdani.

The associations are the Association of Young Indonesian Businessmen, the Indonesian Footwear Association, the Indonesian Textile Association, the Federation of Indonesian Exporters, the Indonesian Public Companies Association, the Indonesian Toys Producers Association, the Indonesian Meat Producers and Feedlot Association.

The other associations are the Indonesian Indigenous Businessmen Association, the Federation of Private Domestic Banks, the Indonesian Small and Medium Scale Business Solidarity, the Secondary Bank Federation and the Indonesian Bankers Club.

Rahardi said he could not understand the associations' motives in calling for the country's economic ministers to quit. He said he wanted to meet the associations' representatives to discuss the motivation behind their statements.

"How can they judge us for failing to carry out our jobs despite the facts that Indonesia's non-oil and gas exports increased last year compared to the past years?" he asked.

"I ask you (reporters) now, did our exports slow down last year? Have we (economic ministers) failed in doing our jobs?" Rahardi asked shrilly.

He said if the government failed to manage the industrial sector, the country's non oil and gas exports would not have been as high as those recorded last year. (gis)