Baihaki will remain Pertamina's boss: Purnomo

Minster of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said he would keep Baihaki Hakim at the helm of state oil and gas company Pertamina.

"I will maintain Baihaki as Pertamina's leader. We want benefit from Baihaki's oil experience to strengthen Pertamina's performance," Purnomo said Wednesday after a meeting with Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Bisnis Indonesia daily reported.

Purnomo made the statement amid rumors that President Abdurrahman Wahid was mulling dismissing Baihaki in the new organization of Pertamina.

The President is planning to restructure Pertamina's organization, cutting the directorate positions at the state company to six from seven at present.

Rumors have it that the President, who is affectionately called by his nickname Gus Dur, was disappointed over Baihaki's alleged resistance to the President's friends' efforts of obtaining projects in Pertamina.

Some names that have been tipped to replace Baihaki are Tito Sutalaksana, former president of the state-owned Bank Tabungan Negara; Nugroho Djajusman, former Jakarta chief police; and Martani S, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta.

Irwan Prayitno, head of the House of Representatives' Commission VIII for energy and mineral resources, science and technology and environment, told Petromindo.Com on Wednesday that he did not believe Gus Dur would dismiss Baihaki given his good performance.

"If the President dismisses Bahihaki, that will be regrettable, because he has thus far made a good performance.

"If Baihaki is dismissed despite his good performance, that will become a bad precedent for state-owned companies," Irwan said.

Baihaki earlier said he was ready to accept any decision to be taken by Gus Dur with regards his position in Pertamina.

Baihaki, former president of American oil and gas company PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia, was appointed Pertamina's president early this year. (*)