Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - US heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. wants to build a heavy equipment factory in Java with an investment of up to US$500 million, an Indonesian official said. It would be the first heavy equipment manufacturer in the country, Gita Wirjawan, head of the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said. Production facilities currently operating in the country for heavy equipment including Caterpillar are all assembly plants.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Darmin Nasution said here on Friday that the present rupiah exchange rate was still competitive for the national economy compared to those of the currencies of neighbouring countries. "The argument that our competitiveness has declined because of the rupiah`s appreciation is not valid because the currencies of other countries have appreciated even more," he said.