Habibie hands over three posts
BANDUNG (JP): State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie handed over to subordinates yesterday three of his 10 posts as president of state-owned companies supervised by the Strategic Industries Supervisory Agency (BPIS).
The post of president of aircraft manufacturer PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) was entrusted to Hari Laksono, while Adwin H. Suryohadiprojo was chosen as the new president of shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia. Budi Santosa was promoted to president of the military equipment manufacturer PT Pindad.
The three were officially installed by Giri Suseno, the vice chairman of BPIS, without the presence of Habibie, at one of PT IPTN's buildings in Bandung yesterday.
The installation of the three new company presidents was based on last month's Ministry of Finance Decree No. 176, 178 and 180/KMK/016/1998 dated Feb. 28. The decrees also terminate Habibie's tenure for the three posts.
Hari Laksono is the former vice president of PT IPTN, Adwin Suryohadiprojo the former production director of PT PAL and Budi Santosa the former technology director of PT Pindad.
When asked by the media whether the installation of three new company presidents had something to do with Habibie's nomination for vice president for the 1998/2003 term, Giri just smiled.
He explained at the installation ceremony that the promotion of the three new presidents was conducted because the tenure for the posts had expired.
"The seven other posts will not be changed because they are still valid," he said, adding that Habibie's only other post to expire this year among the remaining seven companies supervised by BPIS is at steel producer PT Krakatau Steel.
BPIS is also responsible for telecommunications equipment manufacturer PT Inti, train equipment producer PT Inka, electronics manufacturer PT LEN Industri, engineering firms PT Barata Indonesia and PT Boma Bisma Indra, and explosives manufacturer PT Dahana.
In his speech at the ceremony, Giri urged the new officials to uphold the trust bestowed on them to anticipate any domestic and foreign challenges in both economic and non-economic matters.
Giri also urged the companies to lobby the international community and not to rely on the efforts of one person.
"It is our duty to work together."
Besides the installation of the new presidents, three other officials were also promoted at yesterday's ceremony.
Faqih Zuhdi was installed as the new procurement director of PT IPTN, Adik Avianto Soedarsono as the new technology director of PT Pindad and Budiarto as the new production director of PT PAL. (43/hhr)