Former banker named Telkom chief: Nasution

Former banker named Telkom chief: Nasution

CIPANAS, West Java (JP): President of state-owned
telecommunications monopoly PT Telkom, A.A. Nasution, said on
Wednesday the government had made a decision to appoint former
director of Bank Bukopin, M. Nazif, as his replacement.

He said his company had also been notified by the government
through a letter issued by the State Ministry of Empowerment of
State Enterprises that the company's current four directors would
also be replaced.

Assistant to State Minister for the Investment and State
Enterprises Development, Benny Pasaribu, said last week that the
government was selecting 10 candidates, from which Telkom's new
president would be picked.

Benny said that the selection process would take time because
the 10 candidates must first be thoroughly evaluated under the
fit and proper test before being proposed to Telkom's general
shareholders meeting scheduled for April 7.

The candidates include an executive of Indonesian Democratic
Party for Struggle (PDI-P), Dimyati Hartono, and president of
listed satellite communications provider PT Pasifik Satelit
Nusantara, Adi R. Adiwoso.

Nasution said that the letter announcing Telkom's new
president and directors, expected to be installed during the
shareholders meeting, arrived at his office on Tuesday.

"According to the letter, the government has appointed M.
Nazif as my replacement," Nasution said on the sidelines of a
press gathering in Cipanas, West Java.

The letter, which was signed by Coordinating Minister for
Economy Kwik Kian Gie on the behalf of State Minister of
Investment and State Enterprises Development Laksamana Sukardi,
who is now performing a haj pilgrimage in Mecca.

Nasution, who led Telkom since mid-1996, refused to reveal the
name of the new directors, but said that he was very pleased to
know that the four new executives were actually Telkom's own
officials.

According to newspaper reports, several Telkom insiders have
been nominated to sit on the board of directors. They include the
chief of Telkom's Jakarta office Guntur Siregar, chief of
Telkom's East Java's office Kristiono, president of Telkom's
affiliate satellite communications provider PT Lintasarta, Taufik
Akbar, head of Telkom's logistics division, Mursyid Amal and
Telkom's head of development division Komaruddin.

Telkom is currently led by Nasution as president and Harry
Supangkat as director for finance, Andi Siswaka Faisal as
director for planning and technology, John Welly director of
operation and marketing and Dadad Kustiwa as chief operation
officer.(25/cst)