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SBY, Aburizal deny any deal to replace Sri Mulyani
Closest aides of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have denied any political deal “sacrificing” Finance Minister Sri Mulyani in any attempt to end the Bank Century bailout case
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losest aides of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have denied any political deal “sacrificing” Finance Minister Sri Mulyani in any attempt to end the Bank Century bailout case.
State Secretary Sudi Silalahi said Monday there had been no meeting between the President and Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie agreeing to replace Mulyani with Fiscal Policy Agency head Anggito Abimanyu.
The Jakarta Post reported earlier, citing unspecified sources from the Golkar Party speaking on condition of anonymity, that Yudhoyono and Aburizal might have agreed on such a replacement, considering Anggito’s closeness with Aburizal.
Golkar, although in coalition with Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, seems to have been pursuing its own interests in the Century case, so that it might wish to bring about and exploit the possible departure of Sri Mulyani and then influence any replacement.
“The President has the right to talk with anyone, but there is no talk of a reshuffle,” Sudi said while accompanying the President during a working visit in Madiun on Monday.
Similar remarks were made by presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha, who said emphatically, “Where did you get the information from? That’s not true; there are no talks on a reshuffle,” while responding to reporters’ questions.
Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta and Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto made similar denials.
Aburizal’s spokesman Lalu Mara Satriawangsa denied Golkar had attempted to unseat Mulyani, and reiterated that the party would remain inside the coalition of parties supporting the government.
Lalu said the last time Aburizal met with Yudhoyono, they had discussed the issue of Papua, and how to resolve problems in Papua through improving people’s welfare.
Aburizal, often known as Ical, was Yudhoyono’s coordinating minister of people’s welfare in the previous Cabinet.
“Pak Ical never discussed [the fate of Mulyani] with the President. This is the President’s prerogative right.”
Lalu claimed that as a coalition member, Golkar would play a “constructive” role in the House of Representatives’ inquiry committee into the Bank Century bailout.
“The House inquiry committee is not there to topple certain public officials but to uncover the truth in the Bank Century case, so this government will no longer be burdened by unfounded rumors.”
A committee member from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Maruarar Sirait, said that his party would not support any political deal as part of the resolution of the Bank Century case.
The Bank Century case revolves around an Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million) bank bailout disbursed in 2008 and 2009. The final cost of the bailout was more than ten times the original estimate.
A political analyst from the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), Burhanuddin Muhtadi, said there was always the possibility that Mulyani might be removed.
“Mulyani is the easiest target to sacrifice, because she has no political backup.”
