MPI has new chairman

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesia Forestry Society (MPI) has appointed Sudrajat D.P. as its chairman for the 1998/2003 tenure, replacing Abbas Adhar, who has held the position for only three months.

The organization said yesterday that the replacement was decided at the organization's national meeting Monday.

Sudrajat pledged to help the government lift the nation out of its severe economic crisis by boosting foreign exchange earnings from forest-product exports and to give more attention to improving local people's welfare.

Sudrajat replaced Abbas, MPI's former vice president, who took the position after the resignation of Mohammad "Bob" Hasan in March.

MPI is a holding (umbrella) grouping of nine forestry-related organizations, the Association of Indonesian Wood Panel Producers (Apkindo), the Association of Indonesian Concessionaires (APHI), the Indonesian Saw Mill Association (ISA), the Indonesian Pulp and Paper Association (APKI), the Indonesian Flora and Fauna Traders Association (HAPFFI), the Association of Furniture and Handicraft Producers (Asmindo), the Association of Formaldehyde and Thermosetting Adhesive Industries (AIFTA), the Association of Indonesian Wood Preservation Industries (APKIN) and the Federation of Indonesian Forest Consultant Companies (Hikkindo). (gis)