State transport firms' profits likely to double

JAKARTA (JP): State companies overseen by the Ministry of Transportation are expected to more than double their total profits to Rp 676.89 billion (US$309.6 million) this year, a minister says.

Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto told reporters after meeting with President Soeharto yesterday that during the first 10 months of this year, the companies had raked in Rp 433.27 billion in before-tax profits.

Of the 17 state companies overseen by the Ministry of Transportation, six have the highest portion of profits, while railway company PT Perumka and the Jakarta bus operator PT PPD still suffer losses.

The six most profitable companies are port operator Pelindo I with profits of Rp 22.9 billion in the January-October period, Pelindo II with Rp 88.6 billion, Pelindo III with Rp 32.7 billion, airport operator Angkasa Pura I with Rp 42.2 billion, Angkasa Pura II with Rp 66.3 billion and air carrier PT Garuda Indonesia with Rp 165.8 billion.

"This year's target for Garuda's profit is Rp 264 billion," Haryanto said.

Planes

Haryanto also reported to President Soeharto about Garuda's plan to sell 10 of its DC-9 planes operated by its subsidiary PT Merpati Nusantara.

"When they are sold, Merpati will lease a number of planes, including pilots, to replace them," he said.

Commenting on the deals between Merpati and Lufthansa Airlines on the procurement of two second-handed B-737-200 planes, Haryanto said the leasing deal was signed on Nov. 7, at the cost of Rp 8.9 million each.

Besides Merpati, local private airliners, including Bouraq and Mandala, are purchasing eight of the second-handed aircraft from Lufthansa. "They had concluded the deal earlier."

Haryanto yesterday also announced the opening of new international airline routes. They are Medan (North Sumatra)- Langkawi (Malaysia)-Dusseldorf (Germany) and Denpasar (Bali)- Colombo (Sri Lanka)-Munchen (Germany) routes.

New regional routes to be opened soon are Palembang (South Sumatra)-Johor Baru-Kuala Lumpur (both in Malaysia), Jakarta- Johor Bahru, Surabaya (East Java)-Johor Bahru and Denpasar-Johor Bahru, Haryanto said.

He noted that three local airliners, Mandala, Merpati and Sempati, have proposed to his ministry to serve regional routes, including Bandung (West Java)-Johor Bahru, Solo (Central Java)- Singapore, Solo-Kuala Lumpur, Surabaya-Johor Bahru, Surabaya- Singapore, Ujungpandang (South Sulawesi)-Singapore and Ujungpandang-Kuala Lumpur.

He also noted that his ministry is considering opening new international routes to new destination countries, such as South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, Suriname, Venezuela, Uzbekistan, Croatia and Zaire. (rid)