The State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry has submitted three candidates for president director of state-owned energy company Pertamina to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, following the absence of a head of the company for the past four months.

The company is now led by acting president director Nicke Widyawati after the removal of Elia Massa Manik from his position as the company’s president director in April.

“It is up to the President [when the announcement will be made]. Three candidates have been submitted by the SOEs minister [Rini Soemarno],” said the SOEs Ministry deputy head for mining, strategic industry and media affairs Fajar Harry Sampurna as reported by kontan.co.id on Monday.

Fajar did not reveal the names of the candidates, but a source in the ministry said they were Nicke Widyawati, Pertamina upstream director Samsu Alam and Pertamia marketing and commerce director Hanung Budya Yuktyanta.

The source also mentioned another name -- head of Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) Amien Sunaryadi. Amien, however, denied he had been nominated.

Previously, Amien said the government needed to immediately appoint a definite president director of the energy giant because the limited authority of the acting president director had affected the operation of the company.

Amien said the acting president director could not made immediate decisions on strategic issues. He said that a number of SKKMigas’ recommendations could not be implemented by Pertamina because of its incomplete board of directors. (bbn)