Sacked minister’s appointment partly an administrative mistake: Jusuf Kalla

JAKARTA — Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla has admitted that the government might have rushed through the administrative process in appointing Mr Arcandra Tahar as Energy and Mineral Resources Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle several weeks ago, before abruptly sacking him for holding dual citizenship this week.

“We might have rushed a few things. We need to up our administrative game, definitely,” Mr Kalla said in response to news that Mr Tahar was removed for allegedly holding an American passport. The government reportedly failed to do the standard check on Mr Tahar’s citizenship status.

The Vice-President said the government wants to make it easy for overseas-based Indonesians with the right skills and experience to return to Indonesia to help the government, but in light of the mistake, certain administrative adjustments must certainly be made. The State Secretary and the Justice Ministry, according to Mr Kalla, will be tasked with making the necessary adjustments. 

“They should identify the loopholes in the current rules before making (the adjustments),” Mr Kalla added.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo dismissed Mr Tahar on Monday (Aug 15) night. Under Indonesian law, Cabinet ministers must hold Indonesian citizenship.

State Secretary Pratikno — who like many Indonesians go by one name — said Mr Widodo made the decision after obtaining details about Mr Tahar’s citizenship. “Responding to public questions regarding the citizenship status of Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arcandra Tahar, and after receiving information from various sources, the President decided to dismiss with honour Arcandra Tahar from his position,’’ said Mr Pratikno.

The State Palace rejected allegations of negligence during the selection process. “Don’t look at it that way (administrative negligence). But see it as the President being responsive to issues that arise,” Presidential spokesman Johan Budi Johan said.

The State Secretary said Mr Widodo has appointed Chief Minister for Maritime Issues Luhut Pandjaitan as acting Energy and Mineral Resources Minister until a new one is named.

Mr Tahar, 45, spent more than 20 years in the United States and reportedly has both American and Indonesian passports. He entered Indonesia using his Indonesian passport when he was summoned home by Mr Widodo to take up the post. He was one of nine new ministers appointed by Mr Widodo in his second Cabinet reshuffle last month. Before returning to Indonesia, Mr Tahar served as president of a Houston-based offshore technologies and consulting company.

Mr Widodo’s administration has yet to clarify the former minister’s citizenship status. On Monday evening, Mr Pratikno said the issue “will be discussed later”.

The Justice Ministry has not published a decree revoking Mr Tahar’s citizenship as the law requires. Justice Minister Yasonna Laoly admitted that Mr Tahar had once held a US passport, though he claimed the former energy minister is still registered as an Indonesian citizen since the US passport had already been returned to American authorities.

Critics of Mr Widodo say Mr Tahar’s dismissal once again highlights the President’s penchant for rushing into decisions without first thoroughly considering all options available to him. 

Political analyst Ikrar Nusa Bakti of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences said the latest episode showed how disorganised Mr Widodo’s aides were in dealing with administrative issues at the State Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary’s Office. 

“It’s an embarrassing failure on the part of the government to conduct even the most basic due diligence,” said Mr Keith Loveard, a Jakarta-based analyst with Concord Consulting.

In the aftermath of Mr Tahar’s abrupt dismissal, questions are being asked about the legality of his appointment and the decisions he made. 

According to constitutional law expert from the Hasanuddin University in Makassar, Dr Margarito Kamis, Mr Tahar’s appointment was illegitimate and so were all the decisions he made during his short time in office.

Among Mr Tahar’s decisions was issuing a recommendation for Freeport Indonesia, the local branch of US mining giant Freeport McMoRan, allowing it to export raw mining materials for the next six months. AGENCIES