Investment exhibition opens

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister for Investment Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo opened an investment exhibition yesterday aimed at promoting investment opportunities in the country's less- developed regencies.

The five-day Investrade Indonesia Expo '96 at the Jakarta Fairgrounds presents 65 participants, including companies and the administrations of less-developed provinces and regencies.

The participating companies include PT Pupuk Sriwijaya, PT Pupuk Iskandar Muda, PT Surveyor Indonesia, PT Texmaco Group and PT Krakatau Industrial Estate. The participating administrations represent the regencies of Brebes, Blora, Demak, Pati and Jepara of Central Java; North Aceh, East Aceh, South Aceh and Southeast Aceh of Aceh; Dairi of North Sumatra; Muara Enim of South Sumatra; East Flores, North Central Timor and Ngada of East Nusa Tenggara; Dompu of West Nusa Tenggara and Southeast Maluku of Maluku.

Dairi regent S. Is. Sihotang told The Jakarta Post that Dairi, considered as a less-developed regency, features investment opportunities in the tourism and agribusiness sectors at the fair.

Sanyoto, who is also chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board, said that Indonesia -- in its efforts to expand the economy by 7.1 percent per annum until 1999 -- needs investments of about Rp 100 billion per year.

The fair is organized by PT Wahyu Promocitra. (jsk)