President Joko Widodo, without the presence of Vice President Jusuf Kalla, installed the (ESDM/EMR=Energy and Mineral Resources) minister and the new deputy minister of ESDM on Friday (October 14). Former transportation minister Ignasius Jonan was put back into the Working Cabinet, appointed as minister of ESDM.
The former ESDM minister before Jonan, Arcandra Tahar, who was hit by the United States citizenship scandal, was also put back in the cabinet, given the deputy minister of ESDM. The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources is one of the most prestigious ministerial positions in Indonesia.
In this chair always sat national figures, influential military, senior economists, to important technocrats. For example, Chairul Saleh who served from 1957 to 1964. Chairul is a youth figure who played a role in the 1945 Rengasdengklok incident.
Then there was Ibnu Sutowo, a military figure who later raised Pertamina from zero until now. Sutowo is also the originator of the production sharing contract system used by Indonesia and several countries to date.
The technocrats who used to sit in this hot seat, let's say there were Sumantri Brodjonegoro, Mohammad Sadli, Soebroto, to Ginandjar Kartasasmita.
Former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also had served as minister of mining and energy in the Gotong Royong Cabinet, former President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
However, after the post-Reformation, the change of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources was so fast.
For 16 years the ESDM minister's seat has been occupied by six different people and two executors. There was Purnomo Yusgiantoro who served nine years from President Megawati to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono volume 1. Purnomo was replaced by Darwin Zahedy Saleh, who could only last two years (2009-2011). Darwin was replaced by Jero Wacik who lasted three years (2011-2014).
Jero stopped because he was a suspect in a corruption case. The Coordinating Minister for the Economy at the time, Chairul Tanjung, had entered as the executor of the ESDM ministerial duties in 2014 before the government moved to the Jokowi era.
In the Jokowi era, the transfer of ESDM ministers was even faster. Within two years, there were already three EMR ministers.
Sudirman Said entered in 2014, then reshuffled in 2016. Sudirman was replaced by Arcandra Tahar on July 27. Arcandra only lasts until 15 August. He was honorably dismissed because of the dual issue of Indonesian and American citizenship. Maritime Coordinating Minister Luhut B Pandjaitan filled the EMR ministerial duties for two months.
Then the former president of PT Kereta Api, who is also a former minister of transportation Ignasius Jonan, sat in this chair. We do not know in the future whether Jonan will stop by temporarily or can last until the administration of the Working Cabinet in 2019.
The rapid replacement of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources shows how much pressure on this position. The pressure is not only in the form of the task of managing and managing energy for the Indonesian people which is very complex, but there is also political pressure that accompanies the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources chair.
We all know that there are always groups that have political party interests in Indonesia's natural resources. These groups always try to put their agenda on the national energy agenda.
The succession of ESDM ministers who also repeatedly have the potential to disrupt the continuity of national energy policies. We know that what often happens is that other ministers have different policies. Here also the problem gap.
It turns out that until the third ESDM minister, the government does not yet have a single national energy plan. Say it like a national energy blueprint. A long-term energy policy direction.
The administration of President Joko Widodo-Vice President Jusuf Kalla is still struggling to finalize the draft National Energy General Draft (RUEN). The stages were still the socialization of the RUEN draft. We still think this country is a country rich in energy.
There is truth. But, without honest, trustworthy, and proper energy management, the abundance of natural resources (oil and gas) can actually plunge Indonesia into the curse of energy (resource curse). People actually suffer because the price of fuel oil, electricity prices, gas prices, and derivative products are not affordable.
Natural resources have become a "party" for various greedy groups that enrich themselves and their political parties. This is the challenge that will face duo Ignasius Jonan and Arcandra Tahar. We hope that in their hands Indonesia's natural resources can prosper the Indonesian people. Not to prosper the people of other countries or other groups and political parties.
Republika, Page-6, Tuesday, Oct 18, 2016.
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