SRI MULYANI AS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WORLD BANK, A PRIDE OR SORROW TO INDONESIAN?

Hot news about the moving of Indonesian Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, to Washington DC, United States starting in June 2010 to become Managing Director of the World Bank and strengthen the support and implementation of World Bank reforms replacing her predecessor, Juan Jose Daboub has made Indonesian society surprised. They have different opinion and response. Some Indonesian feel proud because one of the princess of Indonesia will  take part in the international world, and even occupy an important role as a manager in the world class bank. Meanwhile, some other Indonesian feel sad because with her potential and capability, Sri Mulyani is still badly needed in Indonesia, particularly as the Minister of Finance.

Sri Mulyani Indrawati herself was born in Bandar Lampung, August 26, 1962 and is a graduate of doctorate in University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA. Some of her achievements can be seen from some of her award as the Best Asian Minister of Finance by Emerging Markets in 2006, as the 23^th most influential woman in the world by Forbes Magazine in 2008, as well as the 2^nd most influential woman in Indonesia by Globe Asia Magazine in 2007. Sri Mulyani Indrawati once also became an Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), representing 12 countries in Southeast Asia.

According to some observers in Indonesia, as well as the moving of the third President of the Republic of Indonesia, Jusuf Bacharuddin Habibie to Germany, Sri Mulyani’s decision to move to the World Bank was not because she had a declining sense of nationalism or because she wanted to break away from Century Bank case, but because the attitude of some Indonesian communities that are not fully appreciate the achievements and work of someone just because of her humanly mistake that had been proved yet. Her decision was in similar with the statement from Nelson Tansu, America's youngest professor from Indonesia that still wanted to teach in America because he saw that the prize for the person's potential is far higher in America than in Indonesia.

Eventually, Sri Mulyani’s decision to accept the offer of The World Bank raises some question: Does the Indonesian Nation undervalue their potential human resources? Why did intelligent people like BJ.Habibie, Nelson Tansu, and Sri Mulyani have to choose devoting themselves in another country?