Sudjana replaces secretary-general

Sudjana replaces secretary-general

JAKARTA (JP): Darmoko Slamet, the president of state-owned
mining company PT Aneka Tambang, will replace Umar Said as the
Ministry of Mines and Energy's secretary-general next week.

Minister of Mines and Energy, I.B. Sudjana, confirmed the
replacement yesterday saying President Soeharto had approved it.

The new secretary-general would be officially installed
Monday, he said after witnessing the signing of contracts for gas
exploration and production between state oil company Pertamina
and local and foreign companies.

The replacement was made following a report by independent
consultant Strathcona Mineral Services Ltd early this month that
said Bre-X's claim to have found the century's largest gold
deposit at Busang in East Kalimantan was a hoax.

When asked why the replacement could not wait until after the
general election, the minister said there was nothing special in
the replacement.

"It is time to replace him. That's all. So there is no need to
wait until the general election," he said.

The replacement will be the third made by the minister in the
last two months.

Earlier, in a move believed to be connected with the Busang
case, he discharged two senior ministry officials: director
general of general mining, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, and director
general of electricity and energy development, Zuhal. They were
both Bandung Institute of Technology alumni.

Kuntoro was replaced by Adjat Sudradjat, the former director
general of geology and mineral resources, and Zuhal by Endro
Utomo Notodisuryo, the former director of energy development.

Commenting on critics' calls for his resignation, Sudjana
said, "I have reported this to President Soeharto. And last night
State Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono told me that as
President Soeharto appointed me it was for him to decide." (bnt)