Cabinet Reshuffle, PDIP Criticism Of The Minister Of Trade, Minister Of Industry, And Coordinating Minister For The Economy

President Joko Widodo (Photo: Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officially reshuffles the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet. On Wednesday, April 28 this evening, Jokowi inaugurated two new figures.

They are Bahlil Lahadalia who is the Minister of Investment and Nadiem Makarim as the Minister of Education and Culture-Research and Technology. In addition, Jokowi will also inaugurate the Head of the National Innovation Research Agency (BRIN).

DPR PDIP Faction member Darmadi Durianto hopes that the ministers appointed by President Jokowi will be able to solve problems in the midst of a pandemic, especially the economy.

He also provided notes to evaluate the existing ministerial movements. Like the Minister of Trade, who according to him, should be able to increase exports, not just imports.

"Later it will be the import ministry. So, what is the export strategy, the blueprint, so far it is difficult to export," Darmadi told VOI, Wednesday, April 28.

If there is a change in the minister of trade, according to Darmadi, it must be ascertained whether the Trade Minister can export and market domestic products that create high purchasing power, not commodities.

"For example, how to open new markets abroad, from existing ones, not conventional ones. So opening up new potential markets. That is the Trade Minister's job," said the member of the House of Representatives Commission VI.

"So the orientation must be towards exports so that there is no import, it becomes a point because there must be a surplus before it can support economic growth," he continued.

The Ministry of Industry, too. Darmadi said, the Minister of Industry must create purchasing power to lift weak economic growth.

"How does the purchasing index manager continue to rise, is the PMI created really real? If then only a momentary demand creation is like the import duty is at 0, right, the import duty for how many cars is only temporary, so how to create consumption so that purchasing power increases? These are points that the Minister of Industry must pay attention to, "he explained

So, said Darmadi, the competence of the minister of industry during this difficult pandemic must be sought. And what is a qualified strategy to be able to reverse Indonesia's economic growth.

"We often discuss how to take advantage of the ITPC (Indonesian Trade Promotion Center) abroad. Many are not qualified and do not produce, are not effective in marketing products abroad. The spearhead is at ITPC abroad. We pay so many people there, the results are. not too maximal. This is one of the points that we often discuss how the national agreement so as not to harm Indonesia, we criticize a lot, "he explained.

"So the Minister of Industry is also like that, what kind of breakthrough really has a high competitive value. We also question the investment minister whether the incoming investment is really a real figure?" He added.

Questioning the minister of industry, the minister of trade and the minister of investment under the coordination of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy who is now Airlangga Hartarto, Darmadi also criticized.

According to him, the role of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy must be strong so as not to burden the ministers under him. Do not let the minister have made a policy and then rejected by President Jokowi, even though he has worked together with the coordinating minister. Like the case of yesterday's rice and salt imports.

"Coordination remains with the Coordinating Minister to be in the same direction, in line, with the same vision. How can the Coordinating Minister make this effective and efficient? Yes, that is the task of the Coordinating Minister. The Coordinating Minister does not have an execution function, only coordination, but if the coordinating minister can be stronger politically, it should be more effective in coordinating this. There is also a need for a strong coordinating minister, "Darmadi explained.

"The decision at the coordination meeting was limited, now the Coordinating Minister must be able to coordinate it. Don't each of the ministers screaming here and there, sorry for the ministers, they have issued their respective statements, finally the President canceled them," Darmadi emphasized.