Rini Soemarno State-Owned Enterprises Minister
It's an instruction from the President

China finally won the bid to build the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail system, shattering Japan's dream of raising their Shinkansen. The government's decision not only disappointed the Japanese, it triggered many questions, because not too long ago, President Joko Widodo rejected both proposals with the excuse that he wanted no state funds involved in the project. Why then was China suddenly chosen?

Unlike her colleagues who appear to have kept their distance from the Chinese consortium, State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Rini Soemarno had always, from the start, been close to the Chinese consortium. This prompted criticism of fellow ministers, like Economic Coordinating Minister Rizal Ramli and others. Today, there's clearly an air of competition inside the cabinet meetings.

October 13, 2015