Minister to see all director generals replaced this year

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Darwin Zahedy Saleh will see a major overhaul at its top ranking officials this year as three of four of his Director General will enter retirement age and another one implicated in corruption problem.

A Petromindo.Com source said that Director General of Mineral and Coal Bambang Setiawan has entered retirement effective April this year and his job has temporarily been taken over by Acting Director General Thamrin Sihite, who is currently the Ministry?s Head of Training and Education unit.

Neither Bambang or Thamrin returned call for confirmation.

The source said Bambang?s replacement has yet been decided, but currently there are three officials thought to be competing for the job, including Thamrin Sihite. Darwin?s close confidante Achmad Syahroza, an accounting professor from the University of Indonesia and also Darwin?s special staff and Darwin?s expert staff Hadianto. Two other candidates are R. Sukhyar, currently Head of Geological Agency and Bambang Gatot, Director of Coal Enterprises.

Two other director generals that will enter retirement age are Renewable Energy Director General Lukuk Sumiarso (May) and Director General of Oil and Gas Evita Legowo (November), the source said.

Director General of Electricity Jack Purwono, who is implicated in corruption case will likely be replaced, the source said, adding that the currently the hottest name for the position is Jarman, a Ministry of Energy official who served at the Ministry of State Enterprises for years and now has been transferred back to his former ministry. (godang)