Soeharto vows to boost cooperatives<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto pledged yesterday to promote
\ncooperatives as one of the main pillars of the country's economy.<\/p>\n
The President, quoting the Constitution, said the development
\nof cooperatives was absolutely necessary to improve the welfare
\nof the people.<\/p>\n
He dismissed criticism that cooperatives would not be able to
\ncompete with the private sector in a tightly competitive world
\neconomy.<\/p>\n
\"Such doubt is baseless, other nations' experiences have
\nproved that cooperatives can grow steadily, even in tough
\neconomic competition,\" Soeharto said in a speech at a ceremony in
\nSenayan to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Indonesian
\ncooperatives.<\/p>\n
Addressing about 4,000 cooperative members, mostly farmers
\nand fishermen from across the country, the President said the
\nConstitution clearly stipulates that cooperatives are one of the
\ncountry's economic pillars, in addition to state-owned
\nenterprises and the private sector.<\/p>\n
\"We must continue efforts with patience and self-confidence to
\ndevelop cooperatives to enable them to compete in modern
\nsociety,\" Soeharto said.<\/p>\n
At the ceremony, the Indonesian Cooperatives Council (DEKOPIN)
\ngave the President the title Father of Cooperatives in
\nappreciation of his extraordinary efforts in developing
\ncooperatives over the last 30 years.<\/p>\n
The President looked very moved and managed to contain his
\nemotion when he received the title.<\/p>\n
\"Thank you for this award, I hope this award will not
\ndiscourage me from living with and working for cooperatives,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Subiakto
\nTjakrawerdaya said on Friday that cooperatives between 1993 and
\n1996 increased from 41,903 to 48,391 and members increased from
\n24.65 million to 27.17 million.<\/p>\n
\"Their total assets increased impressively from Rp 3.57
\ntrillion to Rp 6.58 trillion (US$2.75 billion), while turnovers
\nsurged from Rp 9.5 trillion to Rp 12.58 trillion,\" Subiakto said.<\/p>\n
In the ceremony, the President presented Satya Lencana
\nWirakarya awards to 61 people for their contributions in
\ndeveloping cooperatives.<\/p>\n
The recipients included Governor of Aceh Syamsudin Mahmud,
\nGovernor of East Timor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, vice president
\nof Salim Group, Anthony Salim, and chief commissioner of PT
\nFreeport Indonesia, James R. Moffet.<\/p>\n
Soeharto took strong measures in 1990 when he invited the
\ncountry's 30 richest conglomerates to his farm in Tapos, Bogor.<\/p>\n
In the meeting, the President asked large companies in the
\ncountry to sell a portion of their shares to cooperatives at
\nnominal prices. The shares, according to the President, would be
\npaid for by future dividends of the companies.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said sales of big company shares was necessary to
\nnarrow the social and financial gaps of the rich and
\nimpoverished.<\/p>\n
After yesterday's ceremony, Soeharto, accompanied by his
\neldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana and his son Hutomo
\nMandala Putra and his wife, visited some stands at an exhibition
\norganized by small cooperatives. (06)<\/p>",
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