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)