BPMigas defies critics, welcomes new minister Jero

Upstream oil and gas regulator (BPMigas) has welcomed the appointment of former tourism minister Jero Wacik as the new energy and mineral resources minister, defying critics who have highlighted his lack of experience in the sector.

BPMigas chief R. Priyono said Jero is smart and a quick learner, and that he expects him to make a number of breakthroughs to address various decision-making deadlocks that have been plaguing the upstream oil sector.

Priyono added that he had met with the new minister three times over the past few days.

“He was one of the best and fastest graduates of ITB [Bandung Institute of Technology]’s School of Engineering, class of 1970. I’m sure not long from now he will make various breakthroughs to settle deadlocks over decision makings [in this sector],” Priyono said Wednesday in Bali, as quoted by BPMigas’ official portal, bpmigas.go.id.

Priyono was speaking during a coordination meeting on legal issues between BPMigas and cooperation contract (KKS) holders in Nusa Dua, Bali.

Jero, a member of the Democratic Party and close aide to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, had served as the culture and tourism minister since 2004 and was in his second term when the President
appointed him as the new energy and mineral resources minister in the recent Cabinet reshuffle.

Critics have said the appointment was solely based on Jero’s political allegiance and the strategic position of the energy and mineral sector for Yudhoyono‘s Democratic Party, not professional considerations.

Jero has replaced another Democratic Party politician, Darwin Zahedy Saleh, who was similarly considered incompetent in that position.