PPP names new House member

JAKARTA: Lena Mariana Mukti is to replace cooperatives minister Suryadharma Ali as a House of Representatives member from the United Development Party (PPP), a year after Suryadharma left the legislative seat vacant.

The PPP's House faction secretary, Lukman Hakim, said on Friday the decision was reached in a meeting of the party's central board on Thursday evening.

He said the appointment of Lena, a graduate from Syarif Hidayatullah State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN), still needed approval from the General Elections Commission and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono before she could be inaugurated.

"Hopefully, the process will not take long, so Lena can soon be installed," Lukman added.

In last year's April 5 general election, the PPP won more than 9.3 million votes, resulting in 58 of 550 legislative seats in the House.

Lena will represent PPP constituents in Jakarta. --JP