Maritime ministry gets officials

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Maritime Exploration Sarwono Kusumaatmadja swore in seven officials to his newly established department on Friday.

After more than one month without an office or officials, the ministry now has five director generals, an inspectorate general and a secretary general. The officials come from various backgrounds but most have experience in maritime issues.

Those that were sworn in are Indroyono Susilo as director general of research compatibility and maritime exploration, Untung Wahyono as director general of fisheries and Tommy Purwoko as director general for development of marine potential and organization.

The vice rector of Bogor Farming Institute, Rokhmin Danuri was sworn as the director general of coasts and small islands while Rear Adm. Busran Kadri was sworn in as director general of supervision and maritime protection.

The post of secretary general will be held by Sapta Nirwanda and the inspectorate general of the ministry is Mustofa Abubakar, a former fisheries officer in Aceh.

Sarwono said the most immediate concerns would be to establish a new office behind the president's office at Bina Graha, Central Jakarta, and to send the directorate generals across the country to survey maritime situations and needs.

"We will set up the policies and programs after each official has reported their finds," Sarwono said after he swore in his new officials.

Sarwono stressed his office's policies will be based on four factors -- ecology, economy, community and politics. (04)