PSMTI holds 1st congress

BATAM, Riau: The members of the Indonesian-Chinese community grouped in Paguyuban Sosial Marga Tionghoa Seluruh Indonesia (PSMTI) opened their first congress here on Tuesday.

At least 5,000 participants from 86 regencies and mayoralties in 21 provinces are taking part in the congress scheduled to end on Dec. 1. The event is taking place at the Novotel hotel in Batam.

Chairman of PSMTI Brig. Gen. (ret) Tedy Yusuf said in his address that the next executive board of the association should be able to accommodate the aspirations of its 10 million members.

On the first day of the congress, the Batam chapter of PSMTI, chaired by Soehendro Gautama, inaugurated its new university named the Batam International University (UIB).

Chairman of the Batam Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) Ismeth Abdullah and Batam Mayor Nazief Soesila Dharma attended the ceremony.

UIB, the first university established on the island of Batam, has five schools with 12 departments, including hotel management. (26/sur)