Rini said the ministry had proposed candidates to the President, but no decision had been made. “Please be patient. We will definitely announce [the names],” Rini told a press briefing in Jakarta on Friday, tribunnews.com reported.

Several people reportedly made it onto the government’s short list, namely Pertamina upstream director Syamsu Alam, acting president director Yenni Andayani, processing and petrochemical megaproject director Rachmad Hardadi, commissioner Edwin Hidayat Abdullah and vice president commissioner Arcandra Tahar, who is also deputy energy and mineral resources minister.

Meanwhile, non-Pertamina figures include state-owned plantation PT PTPN Holding CEO Elia Massa Manik, state electricity firm PLN president director Sofyan Basir and State-Owned Enterprises Ministry expert staff member Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

Rachmad and Arcandra refused to comment on the matter.

The government dismissed Pertamina president director Dwi Soetjipto and deputy Ahmad Bambang in February following months of conflict and assigned Yenni to be the acting president director.

It should have appointed the new CEO after a 30-day period, which elapsed on Friday. However, the government has decided to postpone the appointment for another 30 days and prolong Yenni’s tenure.

“[The tenure] has been prolonged because there has been no decision by the board of commissioners [on the new CEO] yet,” commissioner Edwin said.

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