Conglomerates agree to set up partnership body

JAKARTA (JP): A task force, representing 79 big local businesses, agreed yesterday to set up an organization to develop partnerships with small businesses and cooperatives in a similar arrangement to the Jimbaran group.

"We shall try to make the partnership program succeed following the government's directives," Sukamdani Gitosardjono, the chairman of the eleven-strong task force, said yesterday.

The task force was appointed by 79 big businesses at a government-sponsored meeting Wednesday at the office of the Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya.

The 79 businesses include Mercu Buana group, Sahid, Matahari, Gobel, Gramedia, Kalbe Farma, Bukaka, Kalimanis, Texmaco, Jan Darmadi, Hadtex, ALatief Corp, Tamara, Mustika Ratu, Gunung Sewu and Batik Keris.

The task force decided at its three-hour meeting at the Sahid hotel yesterday to set up an organization called the Coordinating Body for the Implementation of National Business Partnership Program. It is separate to the Jimbaran group.

The Jimbaran group includes 48 tycoons who met in Jimbaran, Bali, two years ago to work out tangible programs to help small business and eradicate poverty.

Sukamdani said the new organization was not formed to compete with the Jimbaran group.

"We shall cooperate with the Jimbaran group if we happen to have similar programs," he said.

The Jimbaran group spent Rp 2.1 trillion (US$889) last year on partnership programs with small businesses and cooperatives. But Subiakto said earlier that four of the 48 tycoons had not started their programs last year.

Sukamdani, who has become chairman of the new body's board of patrons, said the task force had outlined the body's program and chosen the body's organizing committee .

He said the task force had agreed to intensify and expand partnerships with small businesses and cooperatives, and study the government's economic policy in this five-year development plan.

"We have all actually established partnerships with small businesses. Now we want to make them more intensive," he said.

The partnerships, he said, would include managerial and technical assistance. They would also provide small businesses with low-interest loans.

The body would make a long-term program for until 2003, he said.

The body's organizing committee includes Sukamdani, Mochtar Mandala of Bank Duta as deputy chairman of its board of patrons, and Sjukur Pudjiadi of Pudjiadi & Son Estate and Tay Juhana of Pulau Sambu group as members of the board of patrons.

The meeting selected Kusumo AM of Catur Yasa group and Noorbasha Djunaid of GKBI Investment to chair the body and Hari Darmawan of Matahari and Samadikun Hartono of Modern group as its vice chairmen.

Its secretary is Fathur Rochman of Bangun Tjipta group who will be assisted by Achmad Kalla of Bukaka group.

The body's treasurers are Mooryati Sudibyo of Mustika Ratu and Rachmat Gobel of Gobel group. (jsk)