Team to follow up ministries' merger

Team to follow up ministries' merger

JAKARTA (JP): The government will soon form a team to expedite
the restructuring of the former ministries of trade and industry,
which have been merged into one ministry under the terms of a
Presidential decree announced on Wednesday.

Minister of Industry and Trade Tunky Ariwibowo told reporters
after taking over the jobs of former minister of trade Satrio B.
Joedono in a ceremony here yesterday that the team will consist
of officials from his ministry and the office of the state
minister of administrative reforms.

"The team will streamline units in the former ministries of
trade and industry," Tunky said.

State Minister of Administrative Reforms T.B. Silalahi said
Wednesday that the government will not lay off even a single
worker as a result of the merger.

However, some top echelon officials will lose their positions,
especially those staying at the secretary-general and inspector
general positions.

Yesterday, Tunky issued a circular letter addressed to all
officials at his newly merged ministry to work according to their
current positions until the issuance of further rulings.

Joedono said in his speech at yesterday's ceremony that the
former ministry of trade could actually reach an optimum
accomplishment although it had a small budget.

However, he did not give details on the budget and the
ministry's accomplishments. He only said that his trade ministry
had skilled manpower, especially in the second echelon.

"Actually I wanted to nurture them myself. However, my time
ran out," Joedono said, provoking laughter.

Joedono praised Tunky as a "good person" and a manager who
will be able to consolidate the works of the former ministries of
trade and industry.

"Uniting the works of two different organizations is a
difficult job indeed. However, with his managerial capability, I
believe that Pak Tunky will be able to accomplish it," Joedono
said.

Many have speculated that the merger of the two ministries,
which sent Joedono out of the power circle, was triggered by the
"poor" performance of the former trade ministry in driving up the
country's exports.

Tunky said yesterday he has two major plans for his new jobs,
namely consolidation between the former trade and industry
ministries into one institution and the improvement of the
country's industrial capability and export performance. (rid)

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