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Yudhoyono denies Mulyani move
President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono on Tuesday rebutted at media reports of his alleged plan to replace Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati in an attempt to end the prolonged Bank Century bailout saga
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P
resident Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono on Tuesday rebutted at media reports of his alleged plan to replace Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati in an attempt to end the prolonged Bank Century bailout saga.
According to the President’s official website (www.presiden-ri.go.id), the President told a forum in Madiun, East Java, that the alleged deal between him and Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie to replace Mulyani was “poor fiction”.
“This is exceptionally creative, but awful fiction. This [speculation] won’t benefit the people. This is the politics of fiction; they made up what’s not there,” he said.
“This is dirty politics, maybe they’re trying to play off the finance minister and the President. It was said I would replace her with someone with the initials AA I don’t know who AA is,” he added.
Speculation is widespread AA refers to the head of the Fiscal Policy Agency, Anggito Abimanyu.
Yudhoyono expressed concern the speculation could destabilize the rupiah and disrupt the economy.
He called on the public to be “responsible” democracy practitioners.
Mulyani appears to be confident about her chances of securing her position in the aftermath of the speculation.
Mulyani was in a good mood and open with reporters interviewing her about the speculation following a plenary session at the House of Representatives.
A smiling Mulyani told reporters she believed all ministers in the Cabinet, including herself, would not be replaced in the near future.
“The President has said there will be no reshuffle.”
Mulyani has been under public scrutiny recently as she was in charge of authorizing the Bank Century bailout in November 2008. The authorization was also endorsed by then Bank Indonesia governor and current Vice President, Boediono.
The bailout amount controversially ballooned to Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million) from original estimates.
There is also speculation some of the funds may have gone to Yudhoyono’s presidential campaign team.
Some legislators have also demanded Yudhoyono testify about his knowledge of the bailout.
Due to the politically sensitive nature of the case, Mulyani is seen as the easiest official to scapegoat.
She has also had her share of problems with Aburizal when in late 2008, she opposed his call to close the Indonesian Stock Exchange to halt a nosedive in shares of Bumi Resources, partly owned by him.
In 2008, she imposed a travel ban on coal-mining executives, including from Aburizal’s companies, after a dispute over nonpayment of taxes.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Mulyani said she believed her past actions had created friction between her and Aburizal.
The Democratic Party chairman at the House, Anas Urbaningrum, also said he believed the President would not replace any minister in the near future.
“What might happen is an evaluation of the coalition to see whether the coalition’s commitment to working together has been consistently implemented.”
