No plan to replace Baihaki: Minister

Minister of Mines and Energy Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono denied on Friday rumors about the planned replacement of Baihaki Hakim as president of state oil and gas firm Pertamina with Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, currently president of state electricity company PT PLN.

Susilo Bambang said that Baihaki was currently concentrating on securing domestic fuel supplies and therefore such baseless rumors could hamper his jobs.

"Let's support him and therefore there will be no more fuel scarcity since this August," the minister said after meeting with President Abdurrahman Wahid at the state palace on Friday.

Susilo said that his party would evaluate everything concerning the recent fuel scarcity problem, including problems with the Balongan refinery plant, after the People's Consultative Assembly's annual session next week.

"We have to open those all problems with special audit, but I don't want to disturb it now. Let Pertamina focus and concentrate on its current duties (of securing fuel supplies)," the minister said.

Sources in the state palace and Pertamina said that because of the recent fuel scarcity problems, Baihaki would soon to be replaced soon by Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, currently president of state electricity company PT PLN.

Besides Baihaki, according to the sources, five Pertamina directors would also be replaced, and the structure of Pertamina's board of directors after the replacement would be different from the current one. (*)