BPMIGAS ?could not accept? three new deputies named by Darwin

Upstream oil and gas authority BPMIGAS said on Thursday it ?could not yet accept and implement? a decision announced by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Darwin Saleh earlier in the day on the appointment of three new deputies for BPMigas.

?BPMIGAS is still studying this (decision) because (BPMIGAS) does not want to breach Government Regulation No 42/2004, which stipulates that vice chairman and deputies (at BPMIGAS) are appointed and dismissed by the Minister (of Energy and Mineral Resources) based on the recommendations of (BPMIGAS) Chairman,? the regulatory agency said in a press statement.

It has become apparent that over the past several days, BPMIGAS Chairman R. Priyono and Minister Darwin had been at odds over the reshuffle of senior officials at BPMIGAS as Priyono claims that Darwin had not consulted with him on the names to be appointed as the new deputies.

Earlier on Thursday, Darwin announced three new deputies for BPMIGAS including Wibowo Wirjawan as deputy chairman in charge of operations; Akhmad Syahkroza (known as a confidante of Darwin) as deputy in charge of financial control; and Johannes Widjonarko as general affairs deputy. (godang)