Aburizal reelected as Kadin chairman

Aburizal reelected as Kadin chairman

JAKARTA (JP): Aburizal Bakrie was reelected as the Chairman of
the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) for a
second five-year term at the close of the chamber's three-day
congress on Thursday.

Following his reelection, Aburizal, more popularly known as
Ical, said that he would give priority to helping small and
medium-scale enterprises over the next five years.

Although admitting that the economic crisis would make his job
harder, Ical said he was optimistic that he would be able to
fulfill the mandate given to him during the congress.

Ical, who is also chairman of the Bakrie Group, was reelected
to the position unopposed.

A member of the organizing committee said all 27 provincial
branches of the organization supported his reelection.

One participant said that Ical's ability to accommodate the
organization's diverse aspirations during his five-year
leadership was universally respected by all members.

On the second day of the congress which was opened by
President B.J. Habibie on Tuesday, most participants, including
those grouped in the Association of Young Indonesian Businessmen
(Hipmi), backed renominating him for a second five-year term.

The names of several possible challengers surfaced before the
congress, including noted South Sulawesi businessman Yusuf Kalla,
Kodel group executive Sugeng Sarjadi and former minister of
transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo.

However, Sugeng and Yusuf disappeared from list of candidates
before the election commenced and Siswono declined to be
nominated on Wednesday. (29)