Anny Ratnawati: Our second iron woman

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 05/25/2010 9:37 AM

JP/RICKY YUDHISTIRA

The strength of a woman can carry the weight of the world, American-born Ukrainian poet and artist Sarah Pezdek-Smith once said.

Indonesia’s former finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who recently accepted a managing director role at the World Bank, is certainly the living proof of this statement.

Upon Mulyani’s departure from the Finance Ministry, another name popped up to take up the challenge. Anny Ratnawati, a lecturer at the Bogor Agriculture Institute (IPB) previously unknown to the public, shot up like a rising star to be the country’s first deputy finance minister, leaving other candidates crushed with disappointment.

Experts and analysts believe Anny and Mulyani share similarities, even though several economists say Anny’s level of skills and knowledge in the financial sector as well as her ability as a macroeconomic manager are — understandably — below Mulyani’s.

Anny’s friends and fellow lecturers at IPB, who have worked with her for many years, argue the public is not aware of her real potential in macroeconomics and the financial sector.

“Anny’s master’s and doctorate focused on macroeconomics and the financial sector, while her last position in the Finance Ministry was as director general for budgeting. I believe she is the right woman for the position,” IPB rector Herry Suhardiyanto told The Jakarta Post over the phone recently.

Herry further said that Anny’s abilities and Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo’s managerial skills were a perfect combination that would propel the nation forward.

Besides praising her competencies, Herry, who often visits her house in Bogor, also commented favorably on her personality. “Anny is very responsive and smart but at the same time she is also humble and friendly.”

She left a good impression on her students, he went on. Her pupils remember her as a popular and kind person, who often smiles.

IPB professor Didin Damanhuri, who used to work with Anny in the same department at the institute, said, “I often worked alongside Anny in seminar committees. I remember Anny coming across as agile, eager, responsive and very active.”

Forty-eight-years old Anny was one of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s thesis examiners when he took an agricultural economic doctorate program at the institute in 2004.

Chairman of the House budget committee Harry Azhar Azis, who has seen Anny’s competencies as director general for budgeting, describes her as a straightforward person who stands by her principles.

“I remember there was a hearing to discuss the allocation of Rp 1.5 trillion for the revision of Agriculture Law, conducted between Anny and the House of Representatives Commission IV. She held her stance, and did not let the state budget be used for normative discussion,” he explained.

“However, she shows more flexibility when it is clear that the state budget will be used to invigorate the real sector, and increase people’s welfare,” he said, adding the public could put their trust in someone like Anny to safeguard the state budget from any misuse.

Economist Aviliani of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance agreed with Harry’s assessment of Anny. “She is truly a master of fiscal and monetary policies, which will be useful for managing the state budget,” Aviliani said.

Despite Anny’s assertiveness as a prominent government official, she is also a wife and a mother of two daughters, who is not ashamed in doing household tasks.

Anny’s private driver, Didin Zaenudin, who lives near his boss’s house in Bogor, said: “I often see her doing household tasks, including sweeping the floor.”

Didin, who has been a driver for a number of high government officials, said he had never come across a high ranking official as humble as Anny.

“For as long as I have been her private driver, I have never driven her to a beauty salon or other places that provide special treatments for ladies,” he said, adding that he only saw his boss wear layers of makeup and a striking or formal outfit when the President inaugurated her.

Didin also told the Post that Anny rarely went to malls or other shopping centers, except to accompany her daughters.

Right now, Anny, who was born in Yogyakarta, Central Java, lives with her husband. Both daughters are currently studying away from home, at universities in East and West Java.

“Sometimes, the girls come home when they have a long vacation,” Didin said.

He added that Anny never thought twice about buying and eating food from street vendors. She loved buying meatballs and Indonesian traditional food, like soto mie, from street vendors close to her house on Sundays.

The humble family also lives in a house devoid of any luxury. In fact, Didin remembers driving straight past Anny’s home the first time he came to pick her up.

“There are a many beautiful flowers in the house as the couple likes gardening,” he said, adding that Anny often spent her time in the garden, looking after her flowers.

Anny usually buys plants from vendors when she passes them, so her collection is hardly an expensive one, he went on.

Besides gardening, Any likes reading. “There are many books in the house,” Didin said.

“I believe my boss’ small family is one of the happiest and most humble [I’ve come across],” He added, while giving the Post the two thumbs up. (rch)