Beatrix visits shipbuilding plant PT PAL
JAKARTA (JP): Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands visited the state-owned shipbuilding company PT PAL in Surabaya yesterday before ending her two-day visit to the East Java province.
Beatrix, together with her husband Prince Claus and Crown Prince William Alexander, was received by State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, who then informed her about the company's development. Habibie also told her about the general development of a number of strategic industries, which include aircraft manufacturing.
"It's through these strategic industries that Indonesia strives to master the advanced technology," Habibie was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying.
The queen was reported to be very keen and posed a number of questions to Habibie who, speaking in English and Dutch, was explaining the utilization of foreign loans in the company's development projects.
The queen also toured various spots in the company's compound and watched the construction of Rapid Patrol Ship FPB 28 and the Laser-radiated steel cutter. She also visited the company's training and education center.
A number of officials joined Beatrix's tour around the Tanjung Perak port later on in the day, including Minister of Population/Chairman of the National Family Planning Board Haryono Suyono, and East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman.
Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Hans van Mierlo, Indonesian Ambassador to Dutch Kadarisman and his counterpart P.R. Brouwer were also present.
Antara also reported on a business contract signed during the queen's visit.
Dutch company Seatrade Groningen B.V. ordered four "Reefer Pallet/Container Carriers" ships for its operational fleet. The procurement contract was signed on Wednesday by PT PAL's Commercial director Suleman Wiriadidjaja and Seatrade representative Marmix J. van Overklift.
The queen and her entourage, on board a Fokker 28 PH BBX, then left for Yogyakarta at noon to visit the world-famous Borobudur and Prambanan temples.
Today Beatrix will travel to Manado in North Sulawesi. On Sunday she will attend a church service conducted in Dutch.
The religious service will be attended by the local elderly who are still fluent in Dutch. They will also accompany her during her stay in North Sulawesi.
She will then visit the village of Woloan, where she will witness the construction of a Minahasa house.
From Manado the Dutch monarch will continue her journey to Balikpapan then Palembang and finally to Padang, from where she will depart Indonesia next Thursday.(imn)