Ratih may quit her post soon

JAKARTA (JP): Presidential secretary Ratih Hardjono has tendered her letter of resignation, a State Palace official has said.

Head of the press and media bureau at the Presidential Secretariat, Dharmawan Ronodipuro, told The Jakarta Post on Monday night that Ratih wanted to concentrate on her upcoming wedding plans.

"Ibu Ratih has submitted her resignation letter, but I still don't know the President's reaction," Dharmawan said.

The resignation was said to be effective on April 1. People close to Ratih say she will marry a senior Nahdlatul Ulama executive.

The former Kompas journalist was installed as Abdurrahman's assistant in November and was entrusted with prodigious tasks, including preparing state functions.

But palace sources said Ratih apparently did not get on well with First Lady Sinta Nuriyah.

Her area of responsibility was also eroded with Marsilam Simajuntak's appointment as Cabinet secretary and Bondan Gunawan as secretary of development supervision in January.

Dharmawan would not comment on the speculations. "What I know is that she wants to have more time to prepare for her wedding," he insisted. (prb)