L

egislators questioned Thursday the naming of Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih as the new health minister, just a day after her predecessor, Siti Fadilah Supari, accused her of smuggling bird flu virus samples abroad.

"Why was she made a minister without ever undergoing the health test?" said Rieke Dyah Pitaloka, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Rieke, who serves on the House of Representatives' Commission IX on health and welfare issues, suspected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono did not have full independence in selecting his ministers, citing Endang's sudden inclusion.

"Endang was a researcher at the *US Navy's* Naval Medical Research Unit *Namru-2* lab," the new lawmaker said.

"She was also once moved from her post at the Health Ministry because she was seen as providing too much support to the United States in the avian influenza issue."

Begun in 1970 as a joint research lab to study virus strings to be developed for the US Navy and Department of Defense, Namru-2 was closed down in 2000.

Research still continued until 2005, when then health minister Siti Fadilah stopped the project altogether.

Great Indonesia Movement Party's (Gerindra) Ahmad Muzani, serving on House Commission I on defense and foreign affairs, said he would urge his commission to probe the matter if future investigations showed there was foreign interference in Endang's appointment.

Endang was a last minute replacement for Nila Joewita Moeloek, who had been summoned for an interview by the President. Reports said she had failed the health examination.

Rieke said the commission will summon the new health minister to ask about her future programs.

Meanwhile Nila said she was not riled by her failure to make it to the Cabinet, and accepted the President's decision.

Nila, the new and former minister were seen all smiles together at the formal handover at the Health Ministry on Thursday.

Endang denied accusations that she smuggled samples of the bird flu virus abroad while working at the ministry.

"That's not true. I've never taken the virus abroad and I've never sold it," she said.

"All I did was conduct research with my colleagues. There have been no exchanges whatsoever."

Shortly after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced his new Cabinet on Wednesday night, Siti Fadilah held a press conference at her home.

Reports said she alleged that Endang had smuggled the virus out of the country, adding that was why she had dismissed the latter from her post at the Health Ministry's research and development agency.

But on Thursday reports quoted her rectifying her statement, saying she had only heard that Endang took a virus sample abroad but not sold it, and that she had only moved Endang to another unit and not dismissed her.

Endang said as the new health minister she would likely not continue the ministry's cooperation with the Namru-2 lab, and that future cooperation would be only between civil institutions.

"Of course we want new partnerships that benefit Indonesia."