EXCLUSIVE: Purnomo vows to support regional autonomy
Thursday, August 9 2001 - 07:24 AM WIB
"Supporting the implementation of the autonomy law is one of the main programs of my office," Purnomo told Petromindo.Com on Thursday following the announcement of the new Cabinet by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Purnomo was reinstalled as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in the new Cabinet.
Some analysts are worried that the implementation of regional autonomy will stall under the new Cabinet as Megawati in many occasions criticized the decentralization program.
Energy and mining sectors are among those which are greatly affected by the regional autonomy.
Purnomo said aside from supports for the regional autonomy, his office would also focus on the restructuring of the energy and mining sectors by improving the oil and gas, mining, electricity, geothermal and mineral resources laws.
His office would also focus on the restructuring of state companies under the supervision of the ministry, that is oil and gas company Pertamina and electricity company PT PLN.
He also vowed to boost transparancy in the ministry and Pertamina in a bid to combat corruption, collusion and nepotism.
Purnomo, who received his doctoral degree from the Colorado School of Mines, was first installed as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources by former President Abdurrahman Wahid in August last year. (Godang)