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Press ‘allies’ a powerful political force to counter opposition: Sri Mulyani
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati hails the benefits of media ties as a way to garner public support without the backing of political parties for technocrats like herself.
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Seeking media allies: Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati prepares to present the state budget on Jan. 2, 2024, at the ministry's offices in Jakarta. (The Jakarta Post/Deni Ghifari)
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inance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has hailed the benefits of media ties as a way to garner public support without the backing of political parties for technocrats like herself.
In an interview with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published this month, the minister said that contesting the status quo without political backing was no easy task, even when the whole nation favored change.
Sri Mulyani explained that she replied to popular rather than party backing.
“I draw a lot of political support from the Indonesian public. Because we’re now a democratic country with a free press, I reach out to chief editors, reporters and explain what I’m doing and they often become allies,” said the minister.
“They believe in the idea and the objective. And that’s become a powerful political force to counter those who oppose reforms,” she added, referring to structural reforms she has been pushing for since first being appointed to office in 2005 under then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Back in the 2000s, Indonesia focused most intensely on stabilizing the domestic economy following a hard-hitting monetary crisis in the late 1990s that ended the 32-year regime of then-president Soeharto.
Sri Mulyani said people aspire to see the country progress and be led by an accountable and corruption-free government, which provides political opportunities for the country’s leaders.
