Soeharto in good health, says Hardijanti Rukmana
Soeharto in good health, says Hardijanti Rukmana
JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto is in good spirits and
is staying at home, his eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana
said.
"He is in good health thanks to the prayers of the people of
Indonesia," Hardijanti told reporters after relinquishing her
position as minister of social services to Justika S. Baharsjah
at a ceremony yesterday.
It was Hardijanti's first public appearance after she
accompanied her father to Merdeka Palace on Thursday, when he
announced his resignation.
Soeharto has not made any public appearances since the
announcement and he is believed to have been staying at his Jl.
Cendana residence.
Hardijanti, who was appointed minister by Soeharto in March,
was omitted from the new cabinet by President B.J. Habibie.
Regarding her own future, she said she had always been active
in promoting social causes, and this she intended to continue,
Antara reported.
In her brief term as minister, Hardijanti oversaw the
government's campaign to distribute free food to poor people and
laid off workers affected by the economic crisis.
She also managed a new fund collected from salaries of cabinet
ministers and other senior government officials.
She said the ministry had collected Rp 18,650 million, out of
which Rp 2,275 million had been used. She handed over the
remainder of the money to Justika yesterday.
"I'd like to thank everyone at the Ministry of Social Services
for assisting me in the last two months and one week," she said
at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, at the Ministry of Information, Alwi Dahlan handed
over his post to Lt. Gen. Yunus Yosfiah.
In his address, Yunus said as minister he would like to review
the country's controversial press law and broadcasting law.
The new minister faced a barrage of questions shortly after
the ceremony, particularly concerning the revocation of
publishing licenses and possibly reviving the publication permits
of publications like Tempo weekly.
"I will have to learn about it (reviving permits) first, I
don't want to comment too hastily,
"Insya Allah (God's willing), I will not disappoint you...
and Insya Allah there'll be no more revocation of publication
permits. I believe all of you want to do your best for the
nation," he added. (emb/aan)