President appoints nine people for top posts at downstream oil, gas body

President Megawati Soekarnoputri Wednesday officially appointed nine people for the top posts at a special body, which manages the country?s downstream oil and gas sector, a government source told Petromindo.Com.

?The President signs the decree on their appointment today,? the source said.

The House of Representatives (DPR) had picked the nine people after receiving 18 names from the President. A House team conducted a fit and proper test on them in February.

The names of the nine people submitted to the President included House member Tubagus Haryono who was tipped to become the head of the special body.

The other eight were TA Nur Winakun, spokesman and head of the legal affairs of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources; Lubna Amir, a business consultant; Shahabudin, director of exploitation and trade at the oil and gas directorate general; Hanggono T Nugroho from National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas); Eri Purnomohadi, chairman of National Entrepreneurs Association; Amat Ramlan Ginting, head of the Maluku provincial office of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources; Hairiyati, former executive of state gas transmission and distribution company PGN; and Iwan Faidi from Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN).

The body, formed last year based on the current oil and gas law, is tasked with managing oil products and their distribution along with natural gas pipeline transportation. (godang)