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Hatta named finance minister
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has named Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa as the acting finance minister, replacing Agus Martowardojo who will lead the central bank starting next month
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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyonohas named Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa as the acting financeminister, replacing Agus Martowardojo who will lead the central bank startingnext month.
This decision has surprised observers, who mostly expected Agus Martowardojo would be replaced by non-partisan technocrat.
Hatta, the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and a potential contender in the 2014 presidential election, has already started the dual role as both coordinating economic minister and finance minister on Friday ' the day President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed the 2013 Presidential Decision No. 45/M on his appointment.
Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said that Yudhoyono opt for an acting minister to replace Agus since the President 'has yet to find the right person to sit as the new minister'.
'Although there are deputy ministers, there are still incomplete tasks,' Julian said, referring to Deputy Finance Ministers Mahendra Siregar and Anny Ratnawati, whose names also circulated in the public as the potential replacement for Agus.
'Therefore, the president believed that he needed to appoint someone as an acting finance minister.'
Julian said he hadn't been informed about when the new finance minister would be chosen. He said Hatta's role as an acting minister would only be temporary.
'It will not be until 2014,' he said.(dic)
