Simanjuntak takes over from Qoyum as PGN president director: Source

The president director of National Gas Enterprise (PGN), Qoyum Tjandranegara has been replaced by WMP Simanjuntak, the company?s financial director, a source told Petromindo.com on Friday.

Simanjuntak will be sworn in on Monday, the source said.

He will manage PGN, a state-owned gas distributing firm, which has been widely demanded to increase efficiency, along with other state enterprises like oil and gas company Pertamina and electricity firm PLN.

Like the other two enterprises, PGN has dominated the domestic energy sector for decades.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said in September the government was committed to accelerate the restructuring of the domestic energy sector to anticipate the challenges of trade liberalization.

Among the most critical issues faced by PGN is the decision by some districts in East Java to impose levies on the installation of its pipeline facilities. Such levies will heavily burden the firm?s operation, according company executives. (robert/leo)