Local people asked to finance jet project
Local people asked to finance jet project
JAKARTA (JP): Senior government officials in East Kalimantan
and South Sulawesi have asked local residents to help finance the
US$2 billion jet project of the state-owned aircraft manufacturer
PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN).
East Kalimantan Governor H.M. Ardans said in the province's
capital city of Samarinda yesterday that local people, including
civil servants, were also expected to buy shares in PT Dua Satu
Tiga Puluh (DSTP), a company set up by the government in February
to finance the construction of the 100-seater N-2130 jets.
DSTP was set up with initial paid-up capital of Rp 920
billion. This will eventually be increased to Rp 4.6 trillion.
"Residents, especially civil servants, should buy at least one
of DSTP's shares. Buying two or more will be much more
appreciated," Ardans was quoted by Antara as saying.
He said that DSTP's shares would be sold for Rp 25,000 each
and that local people would be allowed to pay for the share
purchase over four years.
Ardans, however, warned that people should not expect too much
from their share purchases because they could only receive gains
in the next four years.
According to Antara, the East Kalimantan chapter of the
Indonesian Development Employee Association has bought a number
of DSTP shares for Rp 50 million (US$21,222).
Syamsul Alam Bulu, mayor of Pare-pare, a port city in South
Sulawesi, also made a similar appeal to local people to support
the jet project.
The appeal was made in a recent special meeting with social
leaders in the Pare-Pare mayoralty.
President Soeharto, in his capacity as DSTP's chairman, has
recently called on regents and mayors in the country's 27
provinces to encourage people in their respective territories to
take part in financing the jet project.
A number of state-owned companies have expressed their
intention to buy DSTP stock. Twenty one state firms overseen by
the Ministry of Industry and Trade have pledged to buy DSTP
shares worth Rp 70 billion ($30 million).
Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah said that state
firms overseen by his office would contribute Rp 73 billion to
the project. In addition, state firms overseen by the Ministry of
Forestry would also spend $15.1 million on the jet project. (hen)