160 officials lose positions

160 officials lose positions

JAKARTA (JP): Last December's merger between the former industry and trade ministries has left 160 second echelon officials without positions.

State Minister for Administrative Reforms T.B. Silalahi announced after attending a ministerial coordination meeting yesterday that the government will transfer the 160 officials to other government institutions.

"We will coordinate the transferring of the excesses to other government institutions such as the Ministry of Forestry and the office of the state minister of investment," Silalahi said.

To illustrate, Silalahi said the forestry ministry can accommodate the "jobless" of the second echelon in its agro- industry division.

He added that the office of the investment minister has also expressed interest in recruiting some of the leftover second echelon personnel.

The government is still studying which government institution needs the second echelon officials, he added. (rid)