Govt upbeat about IMF loan

Govt upbeat about IMF loan

JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the National Development Planning
Board (Bappenas) Boediono is optimistic that the International
Monetary Fund will disburse its next US$1 billion bailout sum to
crisis-hit Indonesia.

He said on Tuesday that the aid would be disbursed as soon as
the IMF board of directors convene later this week to review the
country's economic reform programs.

"Usually, it is one or two days after the meeting that the
money is disbursed," he told reporters when asked to comment on
the delays in aid disbursement.

"I'm optimistic the bailout fund will be disbursed soon," he
added. The IMF was expected to make a decision on the aid
disbursement early this month.

The decision has been delayed as the agency's board of
directors meeting scheduled to take place last Friday was
postponed to this week, said IMF deputy general counsel William
Holder on Tuesday on the sidelines of debt conference.

The IMF is organizing a multi-billion dollar bailout fund to
finance the country's economic reform programs. The Fund had so
far disbursed $6 billion out of its commitment to provide a total
of $10 billion. (rei)