Jakarta – The government is under the control of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and has to obtain IMF approval for every economic step taken, says chairman of the National Mandate Party [PAN] Amien Rais.

"(Indonesian's) economic sovereignty is in the hands of the IMF," Amien said in Surabaya Saturday. The government, he said, had to ask the IMF before it could raise fuel prices. Similarly, it had to ask first whether the IMF approve of a plan to protect Indonesian rice and sugar cane farmers, or whether it could fix the tax rates or the rate of the rupiah to stabilize the currency, Amien said in a speech at a ceremony to install executives of the East Java, Surabaya and Lamongan chapters of PAN in Go Skate building, Surabaya.

"...The IMF is an unavoidable crime we have to commit. We did not want it, but were forced to accept it. If there were no corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN), we could do without the IMF. The amount of IMF loan of between five and six million US dollars is equal to the amount of money embezzled at Pertamina, which is around US$5.5 million a year," Amien said as quoted by Antara.