PDI-P will continue to reject Sri Mulyani

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) says it will continue to reject the authority of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati in any meeting at the House of Representatives due to the part she played in the Bank Century bailout case.

"That is the stance of our party, We want to respect the House's final verdict on the case," PDI-P faction chairman at the House, Tjahjo Kumolo, told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Mulyani authorized the policy for the bailout, which suspiciously rose ten times to Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million) from its original estimate.

The policy was issued in November 2008 by Mulyani and the then Bank Indonesia governor, Boediono, who is now Vice President. Both of them have repeatedly insisted that what they did was for the good for the country’s banking sector in the midst of the global financial crisis.

Following the House’s official recommendation, speculations were rife that Mulyani could be ousted and that Boediono could be impeached from his post.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has defended the two members of his government, who he believes made the right decision in ordering the bailout.

Tjahjo said it would be better for the President to appoint an interim replacement to represent the government in future meetings.