Stuck in the Mud
The Lapindo mudflow disaster has become, once again, a divisive issue in the cabinet. Two ministers, Aburizal Bakrie and Sri Mulyani Indrawati, have opposing views. Bakries sidestepping attempts to sell Lapindo have been thwarted by Bapepam. The concern is that no one will cover the costs of the disaster after the company changes hands.
November 28, 2006
ON Wednesday last week, Coordinating Minister for Peoples Welfare Aburizal Bakrie momentarily lowered his defenses. He finally had something to say after being swamped by questions from reporters about the disputed sale of Lapindo Brantas Inc. Ever since hot mud began gushing from the Lapindo gas drilling concession area in Sidoarjo, East Java, at the end of last May, Aburizal has been unwilling to comment.
His position as a government minister, a
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