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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