Forestry minister refutes BIN chief's accusation

Antara , Pamekasan, East Java | Sun, 06/29/2008 7:17 PM | National

Forestry Minister MS Ka'ban on Saturday expressed skepticism that the recent violent students' demonstrations in Jakarta could have been masterminded by a minister.

"The task of a minister is to assist the president in running the government. I think all ministers must support what the president had decided," the forestry minister said here Saturday.

He was responding to a statement made by State Intelligence Agency (BIN) head Syamsir Siregar on Thursday that there was a minister behind the students' rallies.

Ka'ban said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's decision to raise fuel prices was based on extensive discussion at Cabinet meetings.

He said, however, that he did not feel offended by the BIN head's remark that the minister was "sontoloyo" (stupid).

Ka'ban, who is also chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB), said Syamsir's statement was not addressed to him because so far he had been consistent in his behavior in supporting all decisions made by the President.

Syamsir said Thursday there was a minister who had criticized the government's decision last month to raise fuel prices.

"I regret the fact that a minister of a political party that supports the government agreed to the decision at Cabinet meetings but all of the sudden spoke differently in the House of Representatives," Syamsir said at the State Palace here Thursday.

He said the behavior of the minister who had previously agreed to the decision was unjustifiable.

"That's a mistake. The minister agreed with the decision at Cabinet meetings but spoke differently out there," he said.

Syamsir also said Tuesday's demonstrations against the fuel price increases were financed by a political party member in the House.

"I thought the demonstrations was financed by a certain party, and it turned out there was an individual from a political party who financed the protests," he said.(**)

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