There are steps taken by Gita, which I can follow..."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan will not follow the Trade Minister Gita Wirjawans step to resign from his ministerial post in order to focus on the Democratic Party (PD)s presidential candidate convention.
"There are steps taken by Gita, which I can follow, but there are also others that I will not follow. But, I have also taken steps, which Gita can or cannot follow," Minister Dahlan stated here on Tuesday.
According to Dahlan, people in life always have their personal choices.
Dahlan and Gita are among the 11 participants in the presidential candidate convention held to select a presidential candidate for the ruling PD in the face of the presidential race next July.
Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan has previously tendered his resignation from the ministerial position, effective February 1, 2014. He resigned to concentrate on the PDs presidential candidate convention.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono received his resignation letter and accepted it.
Dahlan emphasized that he will not resign from his ministerial post until he was named the presidential candidate by the PD.
"I have not thought of resigning because I have not yet been selected as PDs presidential candidate. I am not yet a candidate and there is no guarantee that I will be selected to become PDs presidential candidate," he noted.
He also claimed that his decision to not tender his resignation will not create any conflict of interest.
"There is no conflict of interest," he argued.
Dahlan, who has been the state enterprise minister since October 17, 2011, added that he always had an optimistic outlook while handling problems.
"I have always been optimistic since I was born. I just follow it," he remarked.
Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan announced his resignation from the Indonesian cabinet on Friday. He took this decision as he wanted to focus on becoming a presidential candidate in this years election.
In his resignation letter to the president, copies of which were distributed to journalists, Gita stated that his resignation was based on his awareness of the potential for a major conflict of interest if he is involved in the political process of the PDs presidential convention, while continuing as the trade minister.
"I am resigning from my position, effective February 1, 2014," Gita stated in Jakarta.
Gita added that going forward, he wanted to focus on politics and cited his participation in the PDs presidential convention, which is the partys internal mechanism to select its presidential nominee for the 2014 election.
(Uu.A014/INE/KR-BSR/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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