Minister refuses party top post

JAKARTA: State Minister of Administrative Reforms Taufik Effendi said on Monday he had no intention of vying for the Democratic Party's top post, saying he is focusing on his state job.

"I think managing the party requires special attention. It's better to give the job to a full-timer," he said when asked about the party congress later this month.

Taufik is a member of the Democratic Party, which President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono co-founded last year. Susilo's wife, Kristiani Herawati, is one of the party's deputy chairpersons.

The upstart Democratic Party won 7 percent of House of Representatives seats in the legislative election last year. -- Antara