November 18, 2014 edition
THE newly appointed minister for maritime affairs and fisheries appeared in casual clothes, although she wore a long skirt down to her ankles. She admits to dressing more than she ever did before embarking on her new job. "I must now wear clothing that covers the tattoo on my leg," she said, in explaining her sartorial change. Some things don't change however, as she still insists on wearing 10-centimeter high-heeled shoes and wedges.
Susi is indeed a refreshing change in a society which usually demands protocol and correctness from officialdom and the elite. Yet she has inspired others to be true to one's own self and be proud of it. Just before the ceremony to announce President Joko Widodo's new cabinet members, Susi was approached by Rosita Barack, wife of politician Surya Paloh, who told her, "Ibu Susi, you rock. I really like your tattoos and I have some too." In fact, Susi's tattoo is an image of a flaming bird snaking up her leg, something she acquired when she she was 27 years old.
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November 11, 2014 edition
HAVING had to change jobs from being CEO of the state-owned railway company KIA, to transportation minister in the newly-formed cabinet of President Joko Widodo, Ignasius Jonan describes his new responsibilities through an interesting analogy. Whereas his worldview used to be from a train, for the next five years, he must view everything from a helicopter. "Each area has its own specific problem but the four dimensions of my new responsibilityland, sea, air and railwaymust get equal attention," said Jonan.
True to his word, for the required photo session, he refused to pose in front of anything that had the logo of a transportation company, not even with those depicting Indonesia's marine resources, so much flouted by the president as the country's new source of future prosperity. "Just take normal pictures," said Jonan leaning on a massive desk, adding that "I work in the dining pantry because this desk is too big."
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November 4, 2014 edition
IN the new Indonesian cabinet, energy and mineral resources are classified as a 'hot' yet powerful sector. One example is the government's plan to raise fuel prices, an issue which is about to reach boiling point. It was in this state of affairs Sudirman Said found himself last week, when he began his job as Indonesia's minister of energy and mineral resources. Understandably, the 51-year-old Sudirman immediately set out to adopt a cautionary approach. During this interview with Tempo, he distanced himself from the fuel price issue. "Let's give the question of fuel price a pass," he said, adding that it would just unsettle the public. "Most importantly, Pertamina is ready and a team has been formed [to handle this]."
In the days ahead, Sudirman's work in managing the energy sector is bound to multiply, particularly in stamping out corruption and the 'mafia'. He feels, however, that exposing syndicates involved in energy-related criminal activities is not part of his job description. "That's not the task of the minister, but the law enforcers," Sudirman stressed. Not so long ago, his predecessor, Jero Wacik, was indicted by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
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January 1, 1970 edition
MUHAMMAD Yusuf fidgeted in his chair then crossed his legs. He was quiet for a while, seemingly seeking the right answer to a question. "Basically, the 42 ministerial candidates whose backgrounds we looked into generally carried out normal banking transactions. Only a few were problematic," said Yusuf, director of the Financial Transactions Reporting and Analysis Center (PPATK), on the results of the background check on the ministerial candidates he submitted to President Joko Widodo.
He looked at his watch, and at his cellphone close by, in case there were new developments on the much-awaited announcement of the presidential cabinet. "Here's a text message from the prosecutors in Papua, saying they will support me if I'm named attorney general," he said, showing the cellphone screen to Tempo.
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January 1, 1970 edition
ZULKIFLI Hasan slammed the newspaper on his desk. He stood up and pointed to the newspaper bearing the headline, Zulkifli Hasan Curi suara DPD (Zulkifli Hasan Steals DPD Vote). "How dare they use the word 'steal'!" he exclaimed. Trying to calm himself, he added, "Ah, never mind. It's alright. I don't want to make it more explosive."
As the newly appointed speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), he said his main objective was to create a peaceful environment prior to the upcoming October 20 presidential inauguration. He promised to communicate with all parties concerned to ensure everything goes smoothly. "I will meet with Pak Jokowi and Pak SBY," said the former forestry minister.
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January 1, 1970 edition
SUDIRMAN Said's career path has gone through a variety of changes. He has worked as anti-corruption activist, disaster area construction worker and oil and gas executive. His latest profession, however, has nothing to do with his previous experiences. He now produces arms and ammunition. In June, he was appointed CEO of Pindad, a state-owned company manufacturing weapons and related items that was on the verge of collapse.
Pindad employs some 3,000 employees, but it gets just a fraction of its arms budget from the Defense Ministry. Its share of the export market is equally dismal. "Exports represent less than 10 percent of our market," said Sudirman.
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January 1, 1970 edition