Boediono: Indonesia Not to Be Dictated Anymore by IMF
Wednesday, 24 January, 2007 | 12:28 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono has said that the government cannot be dictated anymore by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in terms of issuing various policies since all debts to this institution are already fully repaid.

“Surely, we (the government) can now decide by ourselves concerning what policies are to be issued,” he said yesterday (01/23) in Jakarta.

According to Boediono, it is only the President who can give orders for the issuance of policies as ministers only execute whatever wishes that the President has. “
There is no longer any connection with the IMF. None,” he said.

Boediono also insisted that the government would not sign a loan commitment with the IMF.

“We will not get into debt again. You must trust us,” he said.

Executive Director of IMF Rodrigo de Rato arrived in Indonesia yesterday (01/23).

This was the first arrival of an IMF official since the government, through Bank Indonesia, repaid all its debt of around US$7 billion to the institution last year.

AGUS SUPRIYANTO