President's daughter chosen as RI Red Cross chief

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)