TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Fabby Tumiwa, Institute for Essential Service Reform (EISR) executive director, said President Joko Widodo must appoint a permanent energy minister to avoid a vacancy in leadership following the removal of Arcandra Tahar from energy minister post. The new appointment could provide assurance to businesses and policy and regulation continuity in energy and mineral resources.
Fabby said former energy ministry's dual citizenship debacle has eroded public and businesses trust in the government’s credibility and leadership in the ministry. He said the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan should only took acting energy minister office on a short term basis only. “Considering that Luhut’s perceived involvement in Arcandra’s ill-fated appointment as energy ministry,” he said in a written statement, Tuesday, August 16, 2016.
Fabby said Luhut is not the right person to become energy minister due to alleged conflict of interest in energy and mineral sector, namely his ownership at PT Toba Sejahtera, which has four coal concessions, Southeast Madura oil and gas block and numerous power plants, such as Palu steam power plant.
President Jokowi is urged to pick new energy minister with high credibility, integrity, capability and free of past scandals and not engaged in energy sector businesses. “[The President] should be brave to face [conflicting] interests wanting to exploit Indonesia’s natural resources using politics as a vehicle for personal and group grains,” he said.
IESR has also urged acting energy minister not to make strategic decisions in relation to policy and organizational reform in the energy ministry to avoid holding back the next energy minister in the future.
AHMAD FAIZ
