Mega cancels dialog with workers

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