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Boediono's successor undecided

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono remains undecided on who will replace Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono, who has been nominated to head Bank Indonesia

Abdul Khalik (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sat, April 5, 2008

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Boediono's successor undecided

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono remains undecided on who will replace Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono, who has been nominated to head Bank Indonesia.

State Secretary Hatta Radjasa neither denied nor confirmed speculation Yudhoyono would allow Vice President Jusuf Kalla to take over the day-to-day duties of the chief economics minister if the House of Representatives endorsed Boediono's candidacy for central bank governor.

"I don't want to speculate (on the issue). It's the President who knows," Hatta said.

Stories have circulated Kalla would take over the role of coordinating economics ministers after Yudhoyono announced Thursday that Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati would not replace Boediono.

Yudhoyono has nominated Boediono as the sole candidate for the Bank Indonesia governor's post to replace Burhanuddin Abdullah, whose term ends May 17.

The House last month rejected the President's first candidates, Bank Mandiri president director Agus Martowardojo and PT Perusahaan Pengelolaan Aset state asset management firm vice president Raden Pardede.

The House is scheduled to question Boediono on Monday.

Hatta dismissed speculation the government was considering the liquidation of the chief economics post to avoid the political complications of appointing a new minister.

Several observers, including former People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien Rais, have supported the idea of abolishing the post.

Amien said allowing Kalla to hold the position would give him too much power over the country's economy.

He said that if the government did decide to keep the post, they should fill it with a professional or academic.

While the Constitution gives the President the right to appoint ministers, Yudhoyono has accommodated the interests of political parties in naming his Cabinet, in order to form a stable government.

Several political parties, including Golkar and the National Mandate Party (PAN), have expressed interest in having one of their members fill Boediono's post.

Besides Kalla, Bank Mandiri president director Agus has been tipped as a possible replacement for Boediono. Agus was invited for a second time on Friday to a meeting held by the President.

A source said noted economist Sjahrir, one of the President's advisers, was among the candidates the President was considering to replace Boediono.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro has also been mentioned as a possible candidate.

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