Ramly to chair new company associations forum

Ramly to chair new company associations forum

JAKARTA (JP): Abdul Rachman Ramly, chief commissioner of PT
Astra International, will chair the newly founded National
Cooperation Forum of Company Associations (FKAP).

Sources close to the forum and executives of the Indonesian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) told The Jakarta Post
this week that President Soeharto has agreed to the foundation of
the forum and approved the leadership of the 67-year-old Ramly.

"It means that we get the green-light to run the organization
in anticipating the new era of GATT," a source closed to the
forum said, referring to the new principles of the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which will be implemented
on Jan. 1, 1995.

The establishment of the forum was processed last month during
a dialog between the leaders of business associations and
government officials to discuss the impact of GATT.

A number of powerful businessmen, such as the chairman of
Sahid business group Sukamdani S. Gitosardjono, timber tycoon
Muhammad (Bob) Hasan, Ramly himself, as well as Minister of Trade
Satrio Budiharjo Joedono, Minister of Industry Tunky Ariwibowo
and Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Subiakto
Tjakrawerdaya, showed their support to the founding of the
umbrella organization.

"Ramly is a person with an ideal sportsmanship. I'm sure that
he can lead the forum," the source added.

Kadin

Analysts, however, raised questions whether the founding of
the forum contradicts Law No. 1/1987 on Kadin, which permits only
a single umbrella organization for businesses -- Kadin --
throughout the country.

Executives of Kadin cautioned that the chamber itself has
recently revised its statute to give associations a better
position in the chamber.

Kadin's chairman, Aburizal Bakrie, however, said a day after
the founding of FKAP that he was prepared to cooperate with the
forum.

In a related development, another source hinted that leaders
of Kadin and Ramly held a meeting here yesterday to discuss their
roles to build better understanding between the chamber of FKAP.

The signatories of the founding declaration of FKAP are banker
I Nyoman Moena, businessmen Sri Mulyono Herlambang, M.B. Nawawi,
Wisnu H. Krestowo and Sukamdani. They appointed eleven persons,
including the five, to form the executive board of the forum by
Aug. 21. The other six members are Bob Hasan, Ramly, Soelarto
Hadisumarto, Handoko, Rosita S. Noer and Mohammad Taha.

Meanwhile, Sucipto Umar, the secretary general of Kadin, said
yesterday that Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade
Hartarto, had agreed to attend a meeting between Kadin and
business associations on Aug. 10.

Sucipto said the theme of the meeting is to encourage
Indonesian exports.

Sukamdani is a former chairman of Kadin, while Ramly was a
government-supported candidate for Kadin chairmanship in the
January election who was defeated by Aburizal.

Aburizal is the chairman of the Bakrie & Brothers business
group. (09)