Vice-President Denies Difficulty in Setting Economic Policies

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Vice President Hamzah Haz denied reports that the government was having difficulties setting economic policies, giving the impression of slow performance. At his office this afternoon (18/2), Hamzah said, ” It’s not difficult. It’s just that each minister is not linked to sectors held by other ministers.” Based on talks he held with the ministers, Hamzah observed that the project of one minister was not related to the other. Consequently, the economy has not recovered efficiently. Therefore, an economic recovery package is required to upgrade all policies of ministries. Still, Hamzah admitted the government was experiencing difficulties in making decisions during a cabinet meeting. “This is more so if we don’t precede it with an informal meeting,” Hamzah said. IPresident Megawati Sukarnoputri, Hamzah and three coordinating ministers this morning discussed the (economic recovery) packages during a breakfast meeting session at the president’s residence in Jakarta. Hamzah said 80 percent of the packages have been settled. “I hope next week the whole draft will be ready,” he stated. He added that the recovery packages would focus on real and financial sectors. “If we don’t straighten out those sectors, we won’t be able to get out of the current crisis,” Hamzah said seriously.