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No political pressure behind Pertamina CEO's resignation: Minister
Coordinating Economic Minister Chairul Tanjung has said state-owned gas and oil producer PT Pertamina CEO Karen Agustiawan resigned to pursue a teaching career at Harvard University and to spend more time with her family
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oordinating Economic Minister Chairul Tanjung has said state-owned gas and oil producer PT Pertamina CEO Karen Agustiawan resigned to pursue a teaching career at Harvard University and to spend more time with her family.
Chairul said that Karen had submitted her resignation letter to State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan and the Pertamina board of commissioners.
He emphasized that the 55-year-old woman had previously requested to leave her position for personal reasons.
"Politics has not influenced her decision. She hasn't been pressured by any party," he told journalists at his office in Jakarta on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.
"As coordinating economic minister, I know that Pertamina has not been on the receiving end of any political or economical pressure."
He said that he chose to make an official statement due to media speculation that Karen, a graduate of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)'s physics engineering department, was being pressured.
"Some news outlets have said that she is leaving her job because of the firm's plan to increase the price of 12-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas [LPG] canisters. Again, let me make this clear, her resignation had nothing to do with the plan," he added.
He said Pertamina had sent a letter regarding its plan to increase the price of LPG canisters and that he had submitted the letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Cipanas, West Java, on Aug.8.
The government has approved the plan and has alerted the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.
"Everyone has agreed to this plan," he continued. (nfo)
