Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has appointed Head of the Fiscal Policy Agency at the Finance Ministry Suahasil Nazara to take up the role of deputy finance minister to assist Sri Mulyani, reappointed as finance minister.

"Mr President has given me directives that I help improve diverse policy support," he told journalists after meeting with President Jokowi here on Friday.

The official inauguration of 12 deputy ministers, including Suahasil Nazara, is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. local time.

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According to the Indonesian Ministry of Finance's official website, Nazara was born in Jakarta on November 23, 1970.

He earned a bachelor’s degree, majoring in Economics from the University of Indonesia (UI) in 1994 and his Master’s in Science from Cornell University, the United States, in 1997. In 2003, he had earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign USA.

Nazara was a member of the Fiscal Decentralization Expert Team for the Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2011. During 2009-2013, he had headed the Economics Department of UI's Faculty of Economics.

Furthermore, he had served as vice chairman of the Regional Autonomy Supervisory Committee since 2009; policy group coordinator of Secretariat of the Poverty Reduction Acceleration National Team, Vice President Office, since 2010; and the board member of National Economic Committee (KEN) in 2013-2014.

Since February 6, 2015, he has served as acting head of the Fiscal Policy Agency, and on October 31, 2016, he was inducted as head of the Fiscal Policy Agency.

President Jokowi officially announced his cabinet line-up at the Merdeka Palace on Oct 23. Thereafter, on Oct 24, he chaired the first plenary meeting of his Indonesia Onward Cabinet during which he directed cabinet members and discussed issues pertaining to the 2020 State Budget.

While officially announcing his cabinet line-up, Jokowi had made seven instructions amply clear for the ministers to follow.

"Do not become involved in corruption. Create a system that closes loopholes for corruption," Jokowi remarked.

Secondly, he drew attention to the absence of a ministerial vision and mission despite the president and vice president having in place their vision and mission.

Thirdly, the president urged his ministers to work in a hard, fast, and productive manner.

Fourthly, he reminded the ministers to not become trapped in routine and monotonous activities.

"Works must be oriented toward getting concrete results. Our task is not only limited to 'sent' but until 'delivered,'" Jokowi emphasized.

The president had earlier pointed out that a minister must not only carry out and complete his works but must also ensure that the people benefit from it.

Jokowi also instructed his ministers to check problems on the field and find solutions.

The president’s last instruction stressed on the need for ministers to work seriously.

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"Those who are not serious, for sure (he or she), will be replaced," he affirmed.

Translator: Agus Salim, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
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