New chiefs installed at two state banks

New chiefs installed at two state banks

JAKARTA (JP): The government's appointment of Widigdo Sukarman to head the state-owned Bank Negara Indonesia 1946 (BNI) will not hinder the bank's plan to go public, Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad said yesterday.

"The plan (to go public) will go ahead," Mar'ie said after formally inducting Widigdo, former president of state-owned Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN), as BNI's president, replacing Winarto Sumarto.

The government has announced that it will privatize BNI on local capital markets this year, along with state-owned PT Krakatau Steel and toll-road operator PT Jasa Marga. The last two will also be offered on overseas markets.

"Please, do not have a negative perception about Pak Winarto. His performance was good. However, his health does not allow him to lead BNI. If he was forced to continue leading the bank, it would not have been good for either himself or the bank," Mar'ie said.

A few months ago, Winarto was reportedly hospitalized at Lippo Karawachi's hospital in Tangerang, West Java, suffering from a stroke.

Mar'ie explained yesterday that the appointment of Widigdo will not be a surprise for BNI as he is one of "BNI's men."

Widigdo, who was then a director, left BNI in 1992 to lead then state-owned Bank Papan Sejahtera. He was then transferred to BTN until yesterday.

To fill the vacant presidency at BTN, Tito Soetalaksana, a former director at BTN, was yesterday assigned to preside over BTN.

At yesterday's ceremony, Mar'ie also inaugurated Siswanto, a former official at the central bank, as a director at state-owned Bank Pembangunan Indonesia.

He also inducted Hoesein Soeropranoto, a former director at state-owned PT Rajawali Nusindo, as president of the company, substituting Margono. (rid)