President accepts secretary Ratih's resignation

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid has accepted the resignation of his secretary Ratih Hardjono, acting State Secretary Bondan Gunawan disclosed on Thursday.

Bondan, who is also the secretary of Development Supervision, said the President approved Ratih's resignation to enable her to concentrate on her wedding plans to Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) executive Fajrul Falakh.

"They plan to marry in November this year," Bondan told journalists at Bina Graha presidential office.

Bondan said the President had not decided on Ratih's successor. Ratih plans to effectively leave her post on April 1.

On Thursday, Ratih was still busy carrying out her duties, accompanying the President during a meeting with Aceh leaders here in the morning and then chairing a working meeting with her staff in the afternoon.

When asked about the President's comment on Ratih's resignation, Bondan replied: "Why should a resignation be commented on?"

Presidential secretary Ratih tendered her resignation to the President last week after just four months on the job.

Born in Bandung, West Java, on Dec. 6, 1960, Ratih worked as a Kompas daily correspondent in Australia for several years before becoming Abdurrahman's assistant in 1998.

When asked about the reasons for her resignation, Bondan said "she wants to quit because she will marry and she wants to avoid KKN (collusion, corruption, and nepotism)".

Her fiancee, Fajrul, is one of the NU deputy chairmen. He is also the member of the newly established National Commission of Law. Fajrul was born in Gresik, East Java, on Apr. 29, 1959.

Ratih has refused to comment on her resignation.

Meanwhile in Yogyakarta, Fajrul has also brushed off questions about his planned wedding.

"Just ask Mbak Ratih about that," he said on the sidelines of a seminar.

As journalists persisted with their questions, Fajrul continued to remain aloof and approached famed soothsayer Permadi, who is also a member of the House of Representatives Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction.

Permadi said Fajrul initially planned his wedding reception for May 1, but then changed it to a later date.

"Pak Permadi suggests that my wedding must be held on May 16," said Fajrul.

Permadi explained that Ratih decided to choose Fajrul as her husband because he is very similar to her father.

"I know the answer, because Mas Fajrul resembles her (Ratih) father," Permadi said. (prb/44/edt)