Mar'ie appointed as new Red Cross chief

JAKARTA (JP): Former finance minister Mar'ie Muhammad was named the new chief of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) replacing former president Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, the organization said on Wednesday.

PMI said in a statement made available to the media that Mar'ie was elected through a vote on Tuesday night.

He earned 138 votes, defeating former coordinating minister for people's welfare and poverty eradication Haryono Suyono by 20 votes.

PMI said that Mar'ie was elected during the organization's national conference here which was held from Nov. 28 through Nov. 30.

Since the fall of Soeharto in May last year, Mar'ie has been involved in humanitarian activities and campaigns against corruption.

He set up last year the Indonesian Committee for Humanity and is one of the leading members of the Indonesian Transparency Society.

In his acceptance speech, Mar'ie said the tasks of PMI in the future would be full of tough challenges as the number of poor people and those in need had increased markedly.

Mar'ie will be assisted by Jusuf Talib as secretary-general. The rest of the executive board has yet to be decided. (byg)