Hartono gets ICMI membership

Hartono gets ICMI membership

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information R. Hartono officially
became a member of the Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals (ICMI) yesterday after receiving a membership card
from the association's secretary-general.

ICMI secretary-general Adi Sasono, accompanied by head of
ICMI's Department of Media Communications Development and Foreign
Relations Parni Hadi and two other ICMI officials, handed over
the ICMI membership card to Hartono at his office.

"Pak Hartono happily received the ICMI membership card," Adi
told reporters after meeting with the minister.

It was also Adi who went to Hartono's office on Aug. 7 to
personally hand over a membership application form and books on
ICMI activities.

Earlier this month Hartono obtained President Soeharto's
permission, a prerequisite for cabinet ministers, to join the
association. Soeharto is a patron of the association.

Political observers have said that Hartono's membership in
ICMI would significantly boost his chance as a vice presidential
candidate.

They tipped Hartono as a front-runner for the vice presidency
when the People's Consultative Assembly makes its selection for
the top executive posts next March.

Hartono himself denied that his desire to join ICMI was
politically motivated, repeatedly saying that he had long been an
admirer of ICMI since its establishment in 1990.

Hartono was appointed as minister of information replacing
Harmoko who was appointed as state minister of special
assignments. (imn)