Aditya Suharmoko, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 05/21/2010 10:37 AM | Headlines
Seven crucial tasks await new Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo and Deputy Finance Minister Anny Ratnawati to maintain the already sound financial sector and improve the still-lagging real sector.
On Thursday Agus and Anny were officially inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the State Palace. Former finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati will fly to Washington, DC, on May 26 to start her new job as one of the World Bank’s managing directors.
In his speech, Yudhoyono hoped Agus and Anny could follow the “seven instructions” given. “If there are problems, report to the President or the Vice President; we will together find the solutions,” he said.
Congratulatory kiss: Outgoing finance minister Sri Mulyati Indrawati kisses her successor, Agus Martowardojo, after being officially inaugurated by the President into the new Cabinet post at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday. JP/Ricky Yudhistira
The instructions include designing a prudent and accurate fiscal policy; increasing domestic state revenue; improving tax collection by preventing misappropriations; continuing reform at the tax office and the customs and excise office; expanding fiscal decentralization; improving the government’s financial reports by working with the Supreme Audit Agency and Finance Development Comptroller; and playing a global role at international forums like the G20 as had Mulyani.
Yudhoyono thanked Mulyani for her work as finance minister.
“The nation and the government record your tireless efforts in normal times and in crisis. Indonesia was saved in the last crisis also because of your work. You should be thankful for getting this important role [at the World Bank].
“[Your efforts] may not always be remembered by the people, but they will always be recorded by God.
So long, do your job for the interest of the world and emerging countries,” he said.
The former president director of Bank Mandiri was considered as the right person to replace Mulyani.
The local stock market also reacted positively to his appointment. The Jakarta Composite Index rallied during early trading. But stocks lost the steam in the afternoon as the fall in share prices in other Asian markets hit home. The index finally lost 1.28 percent to end the day at 2,694.24.
Agus, who has filed his resignation as Bank Mandiri president director, said he would keep on with reform at the ministry. “I will make civil servants proud of their corps, and make them perform their duties with dedication although the salary may still be considered low,” he said.
Agus also said he would increase tax collection by registering more taxpayers and creating a healthy business climate to boost more business profits, which would be taxed.
Whether he would chase tax evaders, he said: “I will learn about them first.”
He added that he would communicate with all stakeholders, including the House of Representatives and non-profit agencies, to gain their support.
In a surprising move, Anggito Abimanyu, the Finance Ministry’s head of fiscal policy, filed his resignation Thursday. He said he would return to Yogyakarta after finding out that he would not become deputy finance minister.
“Within these six months I was considered as [possible] deputy minister but without any certainty. Now there’s a definitive deputy minister [in place] I have my option to return to Gadjah Mada University. It’s been 10 years, time to return,” he said, adding that his family is now in Yogyakarta.
Anggito denied any political link that might have cost him losing the deputy minister’s position, calling such allegations “slanderous”.
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