Mujib named acting presidential secretary

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid named Mujib Manan as acting presidential secretary to replace his ailing former secretary, Djoko Mulyono, a senior aide said on Wednesday.

State Secretary Djohan Effendy announced that Mujib was chosen as acting presidential secretary shortly before the President left for a 10-day trip to four South American countries and Canada late last month.

Djohan did not explain, however, who Mujib was or why he had been chosen for the job. He only said that Djohan was from the East Java capital of Surabaya.

Mujib is the third presidential secretary in one year as Djoko was sworn in April to replace former journalist Ratih Hardjono.

Ratih, who resigned on April 1, said at that time that she was getting married and wanted to concentrate on her new family.

Ratih married Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) executive Fajrul Falakh recently in Yogyakarta.

The President currently has four official secretaries -- Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak, Military Secretary Rear Marshal Budhy Santoso, Presidential Secretary Mujib and State Secretary Djohan Effendy -- to assist him in his daily activities.(byg)