Indonesia’s finance chief vows better policies after home looted

[JAKARTA] Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati pledged to improve the government’s policies after protesters looted her house over the weekend, a signal of reassurance for investors that she will continue to manage the economy.

In a pair of posts on her personal Instagram account on Monday (Sep 1), Indrawati thanked people for their sympathy and support “in facing this misfortune”.

“We apologise,” she wrote, adding that her duties were very complex and she understood the demands of the public. “There are certainly still many shortcomings. We will continuously improve.”

Indrawati shared images of several news reports about the incident, including pictures of her scattered belongings. In another post, she shared a photo of herself shaking hands with President Prabowo Subianto, as well as scenes from a Cabinet meeting held on Sunday night following widespread protests in Indonesia over the past week.

Rioters targeted her residence near Jakarta, along with the homes of several lawmakers, as protests over rising costs and inequality escalated. Since the protests began last week, at least five people have been killed and hundreds more injured, while infrastructure has been damaged across major cities.

The finance minister’s statements will be welcome news for investors who view her as a safe and steady hand to maintain fiscal discipline. Unfounded rumours swirled in recent days that she planned to resign, prompting reporters to ask Cabinet members if she planned to step down.

Indrawati said that she is sworn to uphold the constitution and the law, and public dissatisfaction with certain laws and violations can be expressed through judicial review.

“Our task is to continue to improve the quality of democracy in a civilised manner,” she wrote. “Not through anarchy, intimidation, and repression.” BLOOMBERG