RI, S'pore to conduct joint expo in September

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Singapore will hold a one-week joint exhibition on industry and investment in Singapore in September, Minister of Industry Tunky Ariwibowo says.

The minister told journalists here over the weekend that President Soeharto of Indonesia and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore would officially open the exhibition.

He said Indonesia would send 60 companies to the exhibition.

Singaporean Ambassador to Indonesia Edward Lee said 23 Singaporean companies, 10 of which are state-owned, had confirmed their participation in the expo.

Lee noted that the exhibition, slated to be held between Sept. 21 and Sept. 27, would coincide with the 4th World Economic Forum's Europe-East Asia Summit in Singapore.

Minister Tunky said President Soeharto was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the forum, which will be attended by over 500 business people.

Tunky explained that Indonesia would promote, at the exhibition, its most potential sectors which are currently open for foreign investors.

"We will prioritize the service, infrastructure and tourism sectors, as they have the most potential to attract foreign investment," Tunky was quoted by Antara as saying.

Meanwhile the committee of the Indonesian Product Exhibition announced over the weekend that it will conduct a national-level seminar in Medan, North Sumatra, on Wednesday.

The seminar, which will feature Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya and Head of Small Industry Development Board of the Ministry of Industry Atih Surjati, is part of a series of national seminars conducted by the committee to coincide the product exhibition.

Sugihono Kadarisman, coordinator of the seminar section of the product exhibition, said the committee had just completed two seminars in two cities -- Ujungpandang of South Sulawesi and Surabaya of East Java -- with State Minister of Investment Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo and Minister Tunky as the main speakers.

The peak of the series of seminars will be conducted in Jakarta in August, presenting 10 cabinet ministers, presidents of a number of state enterprises, business leaders and experts as speakers. (rid)