Rajasa as Finance Minister, House 'Shocked'  

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Emir Moeis, chairman of the House of Representatives' (DPR) Finance Committee, says he was surprised by Hatta Rajasa's appointment as acting Finance Minister.

"The process was very sudden," he said when attending the handover ceremony at the Finance Ministry building on Monday, April 22.

Although the appointment of ministers is the prerogative of the president, Emir said that for Rajasa to hold two posts--as Coordinating Minister for the Economy as well as the Finance Minister, it is too much.

"All of the DPR's commissions require an explanation of the various policies of the Finance Ministry," Emir added. Therefore, he urged President Yudhoyono to immediately appoint an official finance minister to handle the duties and solve the existing problems in Indonesia's economy. He mentioned the ongoing discussion of fuel price increases and the meetings to settle the 2013 Budget Amendment.

Separately, deputy chair of the DPR Shohibul Iman also asked Yudhoyono to appoint a new finance minister. Rajasa's status as the Acting Finance Minister, he added, can be legally challenged. In Law No.17/2003, there is no article that regulates the position of an Acting Finance Minister.

"That's why we need a definitive Finance Minister to discuss the budget with the Board," Shohibul said.

MUHAMMAD MUHYIDDIN