Junus quits Batam authority

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie's brother Junus Effendi Habibie resigned yesterday as head of the Batam Island Industrial Development Authority.

Junus, more popularly called Fanny, had first said he would quit following the appointment of his elder brother as the country's new president, to avoid nepotism accusations.

Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung installed Ismet Abdullah as the new head, Maj. Gen. Jusuf Domi as the new deputy for operations, M. Priyanto as deputy for supervision, and Wendy Aritenang as deputy for administration and planning, Antara reported.

Akbar said the government would provide a healthy business environment and improved infrastructure to attract more investors to the island.

Total investment on the island as of the end of March was US$6.66 billion, of which more than 76 percent was poured in by the private sector and the remainder by the government, he said.

He added that industrial exports from Batam at the end of 1997 had totaled $4.88 billion, and that the island had attracted 1.12 million foreign tourists who had spent $425 million in foreign exchange. (rei)