Kadin wants to be consulted in reshuffle at energy ministry

By Godang Sitompul

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) urges Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Jero Wacik to appoint senior officials at the ministry who are free of conflict of interest, have good track of record, and technically qualified.

The powerful business lobby has also requested the minister to be consulted in the selection process of key posts at the ministry.

?We have heard that there will be a reshuffle of echelon 1 (senior officials) at the ministry. There will be two director generals who will be replaced as they enter pension period. As an industry stakeholder, we want to be given opportunity to give input,? Sammy Hamzah, Kadin Deputy Chairman overseeing the energy and resources sector, told Petromindo.com Saturday.

Director General of Oil and Gas Evita Legowo and Director of Coal and Mineral Mining Thamrin Sihite were reportedly to be among the several senior officials to be replaced soon at the expected reshuffle in the ministry.

Sammy said that it?s time for the minister to think out of the box in the reshuffling process by considering candidates from outside the ministry.

?The minister of energy and mineral resources must also look at the bigger picture. For instance, don?t pick the replacement for the director general of oil and gas to also come from among the oil and gas bureaucrats. The replacement can also be selected from candidates from other sectors within the ministry or people from outside the ministry,? Sammy said.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak