Losing Office in the Heat of Battle
Several ministers lost their posts while still on duty. One was preparing an Independence Day commemoration at Puncak Carstensz
On June 12, 2001, Finance Minister Prijadi Praptosuhardjo found himself unexpectedly out of a job during a meeting with the House of Representatives Budget Committee. As lawmakers debated revisions to the State Budget, President Abdurrahman Wahid, known as Gus Dur, abruptly reshuffled the National Unity Cabinet. Prijadi was informed of his dismissal only after a lawmaker interrupted the meeting to announce the change at the State Palace. He had been unaware of the decision prior to the interruption.
Prijadi remained composed despite the abrupt end to his tenure. Upon meeting a Tempo journalist two days after his dismissal, the 1939-born businessman from Klaten, Central Java, did not express regret over his situation. It later emerged that Gus Dur had hinted at his intention to dismiss Prijadi the previous day, but the minister had insisted on obtaining the President's approval to finalize the proposed State Budget changes.
The reason behind Prijadi's dismissal remains undisclosed. However, according to information obtained by Tempo at the time, the trigger for his removal was his decision to raise fuel prices. While economists deemed the policy beneficial for the economy, it was perceived as politically disastrous. Prijadi, a former CEO of Bank Rakyat Indonesia, also clashed frequently with Rizal Ramli, who served as the Coordinating Minister for the Economy.
Tragically, Prijadi passed away on December 5, 2001, roughly seven months after leaving office, as a result of liver disease.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
