Hans David Tampobolon, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 05/07/2010 9:30 AM
Political tension between the government and the House of Representatives will likely cool off following the departure of Sri Mulyani Indrawati from her post of finance minister, politicians say.
Mulyani will start her new job as a World Bank managing director on June 1, having endured months of political pressure to remove her from her ministerial post for her hand in approving the 2008 Bank Century bailout, which the House deemed flawed.
Golkar Party deputy chairman Priyo Budi Santoso said Thursday his party could “freeze” the political process against Mulyani following her resignation. “However, the legal process must continue. Golkar will simply wait and see what happens next,” said Priyo, who is also the House deputy speaker.
However, he rejected speculation that Golkar chairman Aburizal “Ical” Bakrie had influenced Mulyani’s departure.
“Pak Ical has had many personal meetings with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, but most were on general issues regarding the nation, not specifically on Bu Sri Mulyani,” Priyo said.
Priyo refused to acknowledge that Mulyani’s resignation was a political victory for Golkar.
“All I can say is that if in the future we have differences, please do not threaten Golkar. We would appreciate it if we were treated with respect,” he said.
Critics believe Mulyani’s resignation was an effort by Yudhoyono to appease Golkar into backing off from pressure on the Bank Century bailout, which was authorized by the finance minister and the then Bank Indonesia governor Boediono in November 2008. Golkar is part of the government coalition.
During the House investigation into the bailout, the government uncovered several cases of tax evasion, including those that could possibly implicate businesses affiliated with Aburizal.
Mulyani has also had her share of feuds with Aburizal in the past.
Separately, Democratic Party deputy chairman Anas Urbaningrum told The Jakarta Post that he believed Mulyani’s resignation would open the door for a political reconciliation within the government’s coalition bloc and that it would fix a dispute between the legislature and the executive that had been worsening over the past few months. “It’s a bit regretful that [Mulyani] resigned, but we should appreciate her. She showed her statesmanship and refused to follow her ego,” Anas said.
He said he believed that in her new position at the World Bank, Mulyani would contribute a lot to the Indonesian economy by fighting for national interests within the international financial group.
However, a political analyst from Charta Politika, Yunarto Wijaya, said he was doubtful Mulyani’s exit and the possible end of the bailout saga would encourage legislators to shift their focus back to their jobs of passing laws and deciding budgets.
“The politicians tend to spend most of their time monitoring [politics]. This is because criticizing the government gives them more publicity,” he said.
“This phenomenon of political narcissism has sidetracked them from their main duties, and this is dangerous for the public.”
Political tension between the government and the House of Representatives will likely cool off following the departure of Sri Mulyani Indrawati from her post of finance minister, politicians say.
Mulyani will start her new job as a World Bank managing director on June 1, having endured months of political pressure to remove her from her ministerial post for her hand in approving the 2008 Bank Century bailout, which the House deemed flawed.
Golkar Party deputy chairman Priyo Budi Santoso said Thursday his party could “freeze” the political process against Mulyani following her resignation. “However, the legal process must continue. Golkar will simply wait and see what happens next,” said Priyo, who is also the House deputy speaker.
However, he rejected speculation that Golkar chairman Aburizal “Ical” Bakrie had influenced Mulyani’s departure.
“Pak Ical has had many personal meetings with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, but most were on general issues regarding the nation, not specifically on Bu Sri Mulyani,” Priyo said.
Priyo refused to acknowledge that Mulyani’s resignation was a political victory for Golkar.
“All I can say is that if in the future we have differences, please do not threaten Golkar. We would appreciate it if we were treated with respect,” he said.
Critics believe Mulyani’s resignation was an effort by Yudhoyono to appease Golkar into backing off from pressure on the Bank Century bailout, which was authorized by the finance minister and the then Bank Indonesia governor Boediono in November 2008. Golkar is part of the government coalition.
During the House investigation into the bailout, the government uncovered several cases of tax evasion, including those that could possibly implicate businesses affiliated with Aburizal.
Mulyani has also had her share of feuds with Aburizal in the past.
Separately, Democratic Party deputy chairman Anas Urbaningrum told The Jakarta Post that he believed Mulyani’s resignation would open the door for a political reconciliation within the government’s coalition bloc and that it would fix a dispute between the legislature and the executive that had been worsening over the past few months. “It’s a bit regretful that [Mulyani] resigned, but we should appreciate her. She showed her statesmanship and refused to follow her ego,” Anas said.
He said he believed that in her new position at the World Bank, Mulyani would contribute a lot to the Indonesian economy by fighting for national interests within the international financial group.
However, a political analyst from Charta Politika, Yunarto Wijaya, said he was doubtful Mulyani’s exit and the possible end of the bailout saga would encourage legislators to shift their focus back to their jobs of passing laws and deciding budgets.
“The politicians tend to spend most of their time monitoring [politics]. This is because criticizing the government gives them more publicity,” he said.
“This phenomenon of political narcissism has sidetracked them from their main duties, and this is dangerous for the public.”
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