'€œDespite his background analysts have questioned his appointment, arguing that Thomas [Trikasih Lembong] does not have enough experience to deal with import and trade policies.'€

Investing in companies is not the same as managing trade. Someone from the trading industry (importer, exporter) might have been a better consideration. But at least he is a newcomer to the stage.

Happe

Mr President, you should build more high-tech electronic factories to stop electronic imports and you should visit high-tech countries, including South Korea and China which have mastered good high-level technologies, so that the country could learn from what they are doing.

Indonesia should build factories for smart photography machines, all types of smartphones, high-quality vehicles, more smelters for higher infrastructure without import infrastructure materials, etc.

First, the President should frequently go to shopping malls to check on imported products. Please, search them, manage them and avoid any more imports in the future.

The government should promote Indonesian-made products and have them offered in all shopping malls. Indonesia needs to build more factories! This will generate more job opportunities.

Yes, Indonesian businesspeople should focus on selling their products in all shopping malls.

But there have been many young capable Indonesians with great skills to create more quality unique products which are better in quality than other countries'€™ similar products.

Tutkukap

It'€™s not enough! Every product in the world should be made in Indonesia.

Karta

I have a little doubt in the new ministers. But that Thomas Lembong is an exception, with a Harvard education, we'€™ll see how he leads the Trade Ministry. Hopefully he has the knowledge to improve the country'€™s trade. We won'€™t know until he really shows something if he is the right person to be the trade minister.

Truly, let'€™s see if he can manage. If he can'€™t then he'€™s just there to make the Cabinet look better with a Harvard graduate within it.

Simba

The Cabinet reshuffle has been a hot political issue over the last few months and it has now been done by President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo. Several days ago, the President officially announced and appointed several new ministers in his Cabinet ranks. The new ministers in the Cabinet are Luhut B. Pandjaitan, Darmin Nasution, Rizal Ramli, Thomas Trikasih Lembong, Sofyan Djalil and Pramono Anung.

The Cabinet reshuffle has been met with high appreciation from many political and economic analysts since the new ministers are widely known by the economic market and businesspeople and they are believed to be able to improve the government'€™s performance. Significant progress will be achieved only if all ministers in the Cabinet are solid and able to build good communications and coordination to reach national goals. They should also maintain good communications with the President and Vice President.

Besides economic problems, political and security issues have to receive greater attention from the Cabinet to give political and security certainty to investors and the people in general. The government should be able to intensify its political lobbies with political parties to end political conflicts in the legislature and empower security authorities, especially the National Police, to maintain security and public order nationwide.

Ari Pranata

The word reshuffle makes me happy though several youths have already died of drinking tainted liquor in their attempt to imitate their peers in other countries when celebrating important days.

By totally banning them from drinking even just beer, our poorly treated youths have to die drinking illegal liquor. The biggest asset of the nation, which many are not aware of, is its youth and young people who will shoulder our annual income through taxes.

Besides, religion in Indonesia is not a uniting force because the country consists of thousands of islands, hundreds of ethnic groups and thousands of beliefs. Is there at least a minister who is tasked to deal with such matters? A minister dealing with such issues is truly needed.

Moeljono Adikoesoemo

'€œJokowi picked Presidential chief of staff Luhut Panjaitan as the new coordinating minister for politics, law and security.'€ Retired general Luhut is a former Army'€™s Special Forces (Kopassus) officer and he is widely believed to have taken part in his share of '€œdirty operations'€ against civilians.

'€œBank Indonesia'€™s deputy governor Mirza Adityaswara said that the rupiah was '€˜undervalued'€™.'€ I fear that the rupiah is actually going to further devalue. Devaluation is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as the government has the skills to take advantage of the situation.

Silvio Bari
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Topic of the day

70th Independence Day

On Monday, Indonesia celebrated 70 years of independence. What are your thoughts on the traditional games played in commemoration of the country'€™s Independence Day? How should the spirit of freedom fighters inspire the current generation to achieve great things in the future?

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