The President appointed Sri as finance minister to create policies that would ease the implementation of the newly passed Tax Amnesty Law and convince those with assets overseas to repatriate them, Indonesian Business Data Center founder Christianto Wibisono said. The cabinet revamp includes the appointment of Sri Mulyani Indrawati as Finance Minister by Jokowi.
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Indrawati, who has a Ph.D in economics from the University of IL and is not a member of a political party, won praise for successfully managing Indonesia’s economy through the 2008 global financial crisis.
Wiranto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, was head of the armed forces when the Indonesian army and paramilitaries went on a bloody rampage in East Timor after it voted to become independent in 1999. Wiranto and other military men were indicted for crimes against humanity in 2003 by a United Nations tribunal but successive Indonesian governments have ignored its findings.
“He is part of the very old guard of Suharto’s New Order”, said Andreas Harsono, Indonesia director of Human Rights Watch. “I think it is a setback for Jokowi and human rights”.
A controversial former military chief accused of atrocities during Indonesia’s brutal occupation of East Timor was appointed the country’s top security minister today, with activists calling it a step backwards for human rights.
It is the second reorganization of Jokowi’s Cabinet since the maverick politician became president in 2014, after defeating an establishment candidate in a national election.
“A new cabinet will be announced soon”.
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Widodo also surprised many by announcing Wiranto as his new chief security minister, reassigning his close adviser Luhut Pandjaitan to be chief maritime minister.
