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No dual role for Luhut: Jokowi
Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan - JP/P
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Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan - JP/P.J. Leo
President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo has denied suggestions that Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan will retain his position as presidential chief of staff and noted that the three newly appointed coordinating ministers, of whom Luhut is one, would be delegated bigger roles to oversee and monitor development projects.
'Well, that's what they're saying, but no,' he replied when asked during an exclusive interview with The Jakarta Post on Thursday about the likelihood of Luhut maintaining his post as chief of staff.
After Luhut's appointment as coordinating minister on Wednesday there was speculation that he might retain both posts, thereby augmenting his influence over the government.
The Office of the Presidential Staff is a new body established on Dec. 31, tasked with identifying and managing strategic issues and building political communications between the President and other institutions.
On Wednesday, Atmadji Sumarkidjo, a special staff member on politics and media at the Office of the Presidential Staff, said Luhut would keep his position as the presidential chief of staff while serving as a minister.
'There is actually a synergy in those functions,' he said.
The President on Thursday, however, did not say when Luhut would have to relinquish his job as chief of staff, or if there were any potential candidates already vetted to succeed him in that position.
'Everything has to be done carefully,' Jokowi replied.
Elaborating further on the reshuffle, the President said that his objective was to help ensure a quick execution of policies.
'Our biggest problems are in coordination and swift execution. Upon implementation there needs to be continuous oversight of the policy until it reaches its target,' said the President, adding: 'When I work, I'm used to having clear targets. When is it completed? How good is it? What's the cost?'
Stressing the need to improve the managerial aspects of the government, Jokowi remarked that in such a massive organization like the state there needed to also be a better delegation of authority.
'So that technical issues, or things of an operational sense, can be done by the coordinating minister or ministers.'
Jokowi's remarks seemed to have come in response to criticism he has received over the past few months that he was overly micro-managing various details and they may also have been in answer to his own frustration with the lethargic governance with which he himself has had to deal.
'The President should be focused on thinking and preparing strategy and macro policy orientation,' he said.
Jokowi conceded that this meant coordinating ministers would be his main accomplices and team leaders to oversee government policies and projects, with the aim of creating a better-structured organization.
'However, if there are things that are very urgent and need to be decided on quickly, then they can go straight to me.'
The President revealed that preparations for the reshuffle began two-and-a-half months beforehand.
'But we were always cautious and looked into detail about who would be suitable where.'
Nevertheless, the President was coy when pressed about if there would be another reshuffle in the coming months.
'As I've always said, I constantly evaluate [ministers]. If some veer from the set parameters we will correct them,' he remarked.
So did continuous evaluation mean there could be another reshuffle, he was asked.
'Yes, that's how the work is supposed to be,' Jokowi said.
Imanuddin Razak, Ina Parlina and Satria Sambijantoro contributed to this story
