Shareholders support Astra debt resolution
JAKARTA (JP): Shareholders of local auto giant PT Astra International approved on Tuesday the company's resolution to restructure its US$1.1 billion debt.
Shareholders also approved an Astra management decision to disburse Rp 477 billion ($61.2 million) to recapitalize its listed Bank Universal.
The approval on debt restructuring at the company's annual shareholders meeting came after the majority of Astra's creditors voted to support the company's debt resolution plan.
Astra president Rini M.S. Soewandi said the company was looking for 100 percent approval from its creditors for its debt restructuring plan to have a strong basis for the program to proceed.
"We have received full support from the shareholders to restructure debts. And 99.16 percent of our creditors have approved our proposed debt restructuring program.
"We still want to get 100 percent creditor approval. But if we don't get 100 percent, we will go to the Central Jakarta Commercial Court for ratification which will then bind all creditors."
According to Rini, the 1998 Bankruptcy Law stipulates that a debt restructuring decision can be ratified whenever it is approved by half of the creditors, who represent at least two- thirds of the outstanding debt.
Astra said its bank creditors, who account for 60 percent of Astra's outstanding debt under restructuring, and holders of dollar-denominated bonds had voted for the company's debt restructuring proposal.
However, due to technical matters, several holders of rupiah- denominated bonds failed to show up at the bondholders meetings.
Nevertheless, Rini said the company would continue to strive to get all creditors, including holders of rupiah bonds, to support its debt restructuring.
Total Astra loans under the debt restructuring program, including capitalized interest, are $1 billion and Rp 1 trillion,
Under its restructuring plan, debt will be divided into three series, with the series one totaling $200 million and Rp 198.9 billion, series two $705.4 million and Rp 701.7 billion and series three $100 million and Rp 99.4 billion.
Astra offers a three year repayment period for the first series, with full interest payments and a one-year grace period for principal payments.
The second series has a six-and-a-half year repayment period, with a three-year principal payment period.
The third series comprises seven-year half-secured loans or bonds, with warrants. Astra plans to issue warrants that will convert into shares amounting to 10 percent of the company's issued share capital.
After the fifth year, Astra's debt should reduce to 50 percent of current outstanding debts.
Rini said management also received shareholder approval to raise a maximum of Rp 3 trillion from Astra's fixed-asset sales to be used to repay debt over the next three-and-a-half years.
However, Rini said, if the company's car revenue improved within the next three years, Astra would reduce the amount of assets it must sell.
Astra, once one of Indonesia's most profitable and well- managed conglomerates, was saddled with financial problems following the fall of the rupiah's value in mid-1997.
The company has experienced difficulties paying off its debt following the rupiah's sharp depreciation. (udi)