SUDIRMAN SAID, ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES MINISTER:
Exposing the mafia is not a minister's job

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).