President's daughter chosen as RI Red Cross chief

JAKARTA (JP): Businesswoman Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, the eldest daughter of President Soeharto, was elected chief of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) yesterday, replacing Ibnu Sutowo.

Mbak Tutut, as she is better known here, was elected unanimously in a PMI national congress that ended yesterday.

Sutowo, 80, former resident director of the state-owned oil company Pertamina, was at the helm for eight years and had declined to run for another term, citing old age the reason.

"I am prepared to take this humanitarian post and hope that every PMI member supports me," Mbak Tutut said at the closing ceremony of the Red Cross' 16th national congress. "I'll sulk if you don't help me."

Other candidates for the post were Muhammad Muas, head of the Jakarta office of the PMI, and Bustanil Arifin, former head of the national logistics agency.

The congress also elected Soesanto Mangkusasdjito secretary general, the second most important post in the organization.

The new leaders vowed to improve accountability of the organization's funds, which are obtained mostly from annual Red Cross fund-raising drives. Announcing the balance through advertisements is one option, they said.

"Actually we are open to anyone who comes to our headquarters wanting to know how the funds are used. Pak Ibnu thought it was not appropriate to place advertisements," said Soesanto.

Regarding one of the congress' decisions to improve blood transfusion services, Mbak Tutut said that PMI will seek to ensure that nobody is affected through their blood transfusions with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus which leads to the fatal Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Soesanto said PMI also hopes to intensify fund-raising to collect at least Rp 1 billion (US$ 450,000) to assist victims of natural disasters in the next fiscal year, up from Rp 300 million last year. (anr)