President disburses more loans

BANDUNG: President Megawati Soekarnoputri handed over Rp 230 billion in bank loans to small- and medium-scale entrepreneurs across West Java and Banten during her visit here on Friday.

The loans, disbursed by state bank BRI, require no collateral.

During the working visit, the president also witnessed the signing of an agreement on credit loans to buy Kanzen motorcycles for teachers in West Java and donated an ambulance to the Muhammadiyah Hospital in Bandung and sewing and weaving machines to small-scale textile companies in Majalaya, Cirebon, Garut and Bogor -- all in West Java -- and in Banka Belitung province.

When she stopped at the housing complex of state television station TVRI employees, around 5,000 people turned out -- including political party leaders to support her bid for a full five-year mandate.

She will contest the election against Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday. -- JP