Sampoerna joins Transmarco

Sampoerna joins Transmarco

SINGAPORE (Reuter): Indonesian tobacco tycoon Putera Sampoerna
has bought a substantial stake in trading company Transmarco
Holdings, a company official said yesterday.

"We have been notified that Mr. Sampoerna has bought a
substantial stake in the company," the official, who asked not to
be identified, told Reuters.

"We will inform the stock exchange later today after the
market closes," she said.

At 02:34 GMT, Transmarco topped the actives list in early
trading with 5.9 million shares changing hands. The stock jumped
Singapore $0.95 to S$6.75.

The official declined to reveal the size of the stake
Sampoerna has bought. The Straits Times newspaper yesterday
quoted unidentified sources as saying he bought a 20 percent
stake, or about five million shares, in the open market.

Transmarco's biggest shareholder is Indonesian-born Sukamto
Sia, who is also the second largest shareholder of Amcol
Holdings, currently under judicial management.

Sampoerna is the president director of cigarette maker PT
Hanjaya Mandala Sampoerna.