Outgoing state minister to build hospital in Bali

Outgoing state minister to build hospital in Bali

JAKARTA (JP): Outgoing State Minister of Population/Chairman
of the National Family Planning Board (BKKBN) Ida Bagus Oka hopes
to make a happy return to Bali, the island of paradise where he
was raised and nurtured his career.

"I want to build a hospital there as soon as I relinquish the
ministerial post," Oka told reporters in perhaps his last media
conference at his office on Friday.

"I have been approached by some of my colleagues to run the
hospital."

Wearing casual attire, instead of a formal safari coat, Oka
gave no traces of post-power syndrome. "I am relaxed today," he
smiled.

Oka, also former Denpasar-based Udayana University rector and
Bali governor, took up the ministerial post in B.J. Habibie's
Reform Development Cabinet.

He was upbeat about his chances of being successful in running
the new business, citing his ample experience. He is a general
practitioner himself, having graduated from Airlangga University
in Surabaya.

"I will adapt Singapore's health tourism promotions which
attract many Indonesians who travel to Singapore to seek health
care," he said.

Oka recounted his brief term, which he claimed to be a success
story despite the economic crisis which remains unabated.

"Of course, there was a slight decrease in the number of
families taking part in the family planning program.
Nevertheless, it was considerably insignificant," he said.

His office data reveals that around 27 million families are
members of the program. (02)