Aburizal Bakrie (JP/P.J Leo)
Smarting from political bickering over the Bank Century bailout, members of the ruling coalition have agreed on a new format of partnership, Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie says.
Aburizal said the new scheme would require the President to talk to his coalition partners before taking a decision.
“The Bank Century taught us a lesson. Under the old format coalition partners defended the government’s thoughts, which turned out to be difficult. That’s why the President as the coalition leader will discuss together [with coalition partners] before he takes a new policy,” Aburizzal said as quoted by kompas.com on Saturday.
Aburizal said the coalition partners would be given prior notice about a new policy the government would take to make sure they knew what to defend and why.
“We can’t ask our party members to defend something without clear reasons. Besides coalition partners will have the right to raise dissenting opinions,” he said.
The new format came on the heels of the shocking resignation of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who has been appointed a World Bank managing director. Mulyani has been the center of controversy among coalition partners due to his key role in the government’s decision to bail out Bank Century in November 2008.
Mulyani once said of her sour relationship with Aburizal when the two were part of Yudhoyono's government in 2004-2009.
Aburizal said he had officially been asked to keep the government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Boediono until the end of their term in 2014.
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