Woman gets top post at home ministry

JAKARTA (JP): Siti Nurbaya became the first woman to hold a senior echelon position within the Ministry of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy when she was appointed on Wednesday as the ministry's secretary general.

The former director officially assumed her post, replacing Amur Muchasim, following an inauguration headed by Minister of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy Surjadi Sudirdja.

"The appointment is another component of the ministry's efforts to reorganize after the fusion of the two ministries -- the ministry of home affairs and state ministry of regional autonomy -- last August," Surjadi said.

Surjadi also installed 16 other senior officials, among them Sudarsono Hardjosoekarto, the former director general for regional public administration, as director general of regional autonomy.

Meanwhile, outgoing director general of national integration Ermaya Suradinata was replaced by Muhanto AQ.

Ermaya was recently appointed as governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas).

Surjadi gave honorable discharges to former Trikora Military command Maj. Gen. (ret.) Dunidja as the ministry's inspectorate general and Afan Gaffar from his post as deputy to the ministry of regional autonomy on regional legislation.

Dunidja was replaced by Sinyo Harry Sarundayang.

"Our main duty is to help the nation and state which are beset by too many problems ... Therefore in carrying out our duty, we are demanded to hold high our moral responsibility," Surjadi said. (02)