Luhut Counters Criticism: 'Your Grandma is the Debt Minister'
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31 January 2019 20:49 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan hit back at a certain public figure highlighting the government’s debt policies by calling the Finance Minister the “Debt Minister”.
“I will not let Indonesia be messed around by anyone because I’m one of the decision makers. Coincidently, Sri Mulyani is my boss. For the person calling [Sri Mulyani] a debt minister, [maybe] their grandmother is the actual debt minister,” said Luhut during the DBS Asian Insights Conference 2019, at Mulia Hotel in South Jakarta on Thursday, January 31.
His statement was greeted by laughter from audience members comprising mostly of bankers and investors. However, Luhut chose not to explicitly mention the identity of the public figure who created the term “debt minister.”
Prior to his non-discreet counterattack, Luhut mentioned the current condition of numerous government's development projects and investments such as the free-trade with Australia, construction of the port of Patimban, and the construction of Morowali’s integrated industrial area.
Luhut further explained the government’s policy on incurring debts, which is mainly caused by the country’s inability to fund its domestic need for developments. However, he assures that the debts are categorized as productive debts.
DIAS PRASONGKO