Embattled Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid on Tuesday reshuffled his cabinet for the second time this month, downgrading one of his most senior economic ministers and sacking another.
In an announcement read out by presidential spokesman Yahya Staquf, Wahid appointed senior central bank official Burhanuddin Abdullah as the new coordinating minister for the economy.
Abdullah replaced Rizal Ramli who became finance minister in place of Priyadi Praptosuharjo, who was dropped from the cabinet.
"The consideration that efficiency should be enhanced is the main reason for the change, which was taken to allow us to reach the set (economic) targets," Wahid said in a brief introductory speech.
Speaking after the announcement, Staquf said Burhanuddin was chosen because "he has long experience working with international financial institutions" in an obvious reference to the IMF.
"I am sure his experience will help very much."
Praptosuharjo had been charged with revising the 2001 state budget to deal with a ballooning deficit, and negotiating with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to win the much-delayed release of a 400 million dollar loan tranche.
The IMF has demanded revisions to the state budget and their approval by parliament before releasing the loan.
The budget revisions had forced the government to increase fuel prices, electricity tariffs and value added tax -- yet to take effect -- in the face of public opposition.
Staquf did not exclude further changes in the cabinet in the coming days.
"That is possible because communication is taking place with political parties," he said.
Wahid has appointed five ministers to lobby the main political parties at parliament and seek a compromise that would stave off his impeachment at a special session of the national assembly due on August 1.
Staquf also indicated that Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who appears to have distanced herself from the president in recent weeks, was not consulted over the reshuffle.
"It is not a matter of her being consulted or not. This is the authority of the president," Staquf said.
But he denied rumors that top officers in the armed forces would also be replaced.
"The president, at such a critical time, needs a set of aides which is solid, loyal and can meet the political will of the leader," commented Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who was replaced as top security minister in the earlier reshuffle on June 1.
The president also named Anwar Supriadi, the secretary general of the ministry of transportation and telecommunications, as the new minister for state apparatus replacing Marsilam Simanjuntak.
On June 1, Wahid kicked out three ministers, the attorney general and the police chief, and reshuffled several other portfolios -- JAKARTA (AFP)
