P

resident Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono swore in five out of a planned 11 deputies to ministers, and the new head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) at the State Palace Wednesday.

The appointed deputies to ministers were career officials who would play more pivotal roles in assisting ministers to reach the goals the government had set, "I consider a number of ministries have wide responsibilities, lots of work and ambitious targets to meet," Yudhoyono said.

"You're all career officials, professionals. You need no time to learn because you already understand the system and the rules of the game," the President said.

Those sworn in Wednesday were Gita Wirjawan as the BKPM head, Bayu Krisnamurthi as deputy to the agriculture minister, Hermanto Dardak as deputy public works minister, Bambang Susantono as deputy to the transportation minister, Mahendra Siregar as deputy to the trade minister and Alex Retraubun as deputy to the industry minister.

Gita was already named as BKPM head, along with cabinet ministers, on Oct. 21, but the presidential regulation on his appointment was released only last week.

Bayu was previously deputy to the coordinating minister for economy in charge of agriculture and maritime affairs, while Hermanto was the Public Works Ministry's director general of highways and Bambang was a deputy to the coordinating minister for the economy,

Meanwhile, Mahendra was the Indonesian Export Financing Agency (LPEI) president director and deputy minister to the coordinating minister for the economy in charge of economic cooperation and international financing, and Alex was the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry's director general for maritime affairs, coastal areas and small islands.

Responding to the President reiterating the need to reach the 7 percent economic growth target by 2014, Gita said he would prioritize efforts to improve business licensing procedures and seek to balance the mobilization of domestic and foreign investment across the country.

While Bambang said the President particularly asked him to "strengthen the connectivity" in the transportation system, particularly by sea.

"I will help Transportation Minister *Freddy Numberi* to speed that up," he said.

Alex said he would focus on development of maritime industries, such as the salt and seaweed industries, and fishery-based industries.

"Development of the seaweed industry is very good because we still import a lot of seaweed," he said.

Yudhoyono touched on the importance for the country to have a bigger role in international forums, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), East Asia, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the G20.