Mega cancels dialog with workers

SURABAYA: Hundreds of workers of state cement producer PT Semen Gresik in East Java lost their hope of meeting face-to-face with President Megawati Soekarnoputri after she dropped her plan to visit the factory.

During the dialogue, which had been scheduled for this Saturday, the workers had hoped to discuss their objections to the government's plan to sell 51 percent of the company's stakes to foreign firms.

Company spokesman Suwandi told Antara on Wednesday that a presidential office staff confirmed that Megawati had canceled her trip. It was not clear why the trip was canceled.

Suwandi said that both the company's board of directors and employees had arranged a welcome party for the president and had planned to display old pictures of a 1957 visit by first president and Megawati's father, Sukarno, who had inaugurated the factory.

"We wish to express our hopes to Ibu Megawati that the company is a state asset which should not be sold off to foreigners," Suwandi said.

The President has also dropped her plan to attend the ground breaking ceremony of a huge project to construct a bridge linking Surabaya and Madura island.

Megawati, however, will go ahead with a tour of East Java this weekend including Jombang, where she will observe a great harvest in Sumber Agung village before visiting the Gontor Islamic Boarding School. -- Antara