Pertamina's new boss clashes with legislators
Monday, February 16 2009 - 11:41 AM WIB
The legislators were infuriated over a letter sent by the firm?s management criticizing the course of the hearing between the commission and the company on Feb. 10, 2009.
During the Feb. 10 hearing, some of the commission members questioned and criticized the appointment of Karen Agustiawan as the new president of Pertamina. Karen was installed as Pertamina?s new president on Feb. 5, 2009, replaced Ari Soemarno, who led the firm for three years.
Effendy Simbolon, a commission member from the PDI-Struggle faction, said during the meeting: ?If this is the way the management of Pertamina is selected, a security guard can also become a director of the firm.?
Following the hearing, the firm?s new management sent a letter to the commission, in which they complained over the questions regarding the appointment of the new management. The letter stated that the hearing was scheduled to discuss about the performance of Pertamina, not the appointment of the new management. A copy of the letter was sent to the State Minister of State Enterprises.
Pertamina was scheduled to meet with the commission again on Monday, where the firm?s management was expected to answer questions raised by the legislators during the Feb. 10 meeting.
At the start of the hearing, Sonny Keraf, a vice head of the commission, read out the letter. The commission members reacted angrily to the letter, calling for the cancellation of the hearing.
Upon leaving the hearing?s chamber, Karen voiced disappointment to reporters over the statement made by the legislators during the Feb. 10 hearing.
?How could (they) compare us with security guards? This is out of context (the initial agenda of the hearing),? Karen told Petromindo.com.
Following the cancellation of the hearing, the commission leaders gathered in a room to discuss their standpoint regarding the letter. After emerging from the closed-door meeting, Sonny said: ?Our internal meeting has decided to call Pertamina?s boards of directors and commissioners, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources and the State Minister of State Enterprises into a meeting to discuss the letter.?
?How could the board of directors of a state-owned company make such a letter? Even a minister or a president has never sent such a letter to the House of Representatives,? Sonny said. (Bernard)