He hoped he would not be considered as not respecting the parliament because of his absence.
He said on the sidelines of the National Conference on Corruption Eradication he could not meet the lawmakers` invitation because he had to save a "dying" state-owned company.
He added he actually should have been at Kertas Leces since Sunday but it was only now that he could go there.
Dahlan also failed to attend a meeting with House Commission VII on Tuesday to discuss inefficiency during his past leadership in the state-owned electricity company PT PLN because he had to attend a cabinet meeting.
Dahlan has been ready to be criticized for not being able to attend the meeting with House Commission VII.
"I will always be criticized, even if I came, and more over if I do not. I have always been criticized, yes, I am even being criticized every day," he said.
Dahlan said Kertas Leces needs comprehensive handling and its problems must be immediately solved.
He said the company in East Java now employes around 2,000 workers and they are facing uncertainty with regard to their wages as the company has stopped operating in the past two years.
"The future of the workers and the company must be assured. The company must be revived," he added.
For the initial stage Dahlan said the company would receive capital injection from PT Perusahaan Pengelola Aset (PPA) totaling Rp50 billion.
"Actually the company has been pronounced dead but we are trying to resurrect it to save around 2,000 workers there," he said.
Dahlan recently created a controversy after reporting that several lawmakers had tried to export funds from state-owned companies to the House of Representatives` Ethics Council.
The council has so far questioned the lawmakers and company directors concerned as well as Dahlan with regard to the report.
Based on the results of the questioning the council plans to announce its decision Wednesday evening.
(R017/H-YH/o001)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
