I don’t deserve this, says ousted fisheries minister Fadel

Padangekspres.net-Two people were carrying a stone mirror out of the minister’s office on the seventh floor of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry on Wednesday after outgoing minister Fadel Muhammad was shown the door in Tuesday’s Cabinet reshuffle.

It was his last day at the office, the former Gorontalo governor opted to hold a gathering with journalists before leaving, his last chance to show off his achievements during his two-year tenure.


Accompanied by his wife, Hana Hasanah, 59-year-old Fadel cracked jokes with reporters attending the forum, apparently unperturbed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s last-minute decision to fire him.

But the minister failed to hide his resentment over what he called his “untransparent and unfair” dismissal.

“I was indeed disappointed, but I was not sad,” Fadel said. “Given my impressive performance at this ministry and numerous pro-poor programs I initiated for the sake of fishermen and salt farmers, I don’t think I deserve to be treated like this.”

Why Yudhoyono let Fadel go remains a mystery, though speculation points to an internal conflict within the Golkar Party, of which Fadel is deputy chairman.

Golkar chairman Aburizal “Ical” Bakrie said Fadel’s firing was “normal, nothing special”.

“We must respect the President’s prerogative,” he said. Fadel was replaced by fellow Golkar executive Sharif Cicip Sutarjo.

According to Fadel, the President asked Ical to prepare replacements for two Golkar ministers. “Pak Ical proposed Pak Cicip and another party executive, Theo Sambuaga, as replacements for me and Coordinating People’s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono respectively,” he said.

Fadel said Aburizal had guaranteed that he would retain his position.

Agung, who is also a Golkar deputy chairman and is believed to have stronger political leverage, retained his position in the Cabinet.

Fadel, however, stopped short of confirming that his dismissal was politically charged, pointing his finger to other causes instead.

“My policies to defend the poor have made many businesses feel threatened. I know that many were eager to see me go,” he said.

Golkar politicians gave mixed responses to Fadel’s departure.

House of Representatives deputy speaker Priyo Budi Santoso said that Fadel should have not questioned Yudhoyono’s decision.

Former Golkar chairman Akbar Tanjung, who is now head of the party’s advisory council, urged Yudhoyono to openly disclose the reason behind his decision to kick Fadel out of his Cabinet.

“I was surprised. Pak Fadel was one of a few ministers who were really down to earth and have created pro-poor policies,” he said.

Fadel recalled the dramatic hours before he was sacked.

“At 3:30 p.m., [State Secretary] Sudi Silalahi called me to inform me that I would still be serving as the maritime affairs and fisheries minister,” he told reporters.

“At about 7:50 p.m., while I was gathering with my close friends and relatives and awaiting the President’s announcement, Pak Sudi called me again saying that my name would not be on the list of the ministers who would stay in the Cabinet.

“I didn’t even have the time to ask why, Pak Sudi hung up on me. As of now, I haven’t heard any official reason why I was kicked out of the Cabinet.”z