Taufik sings Tomy's praises

KENDARI, Central Sulawesi: Husband of President Megawati Soekarnoputri Taufik Kiemas openly praised businessman Tomy Winata for investing in little-known areas.

"I would call him a madman or a dreamer because he has risked his money to invest in this province," he told reporters on the sidelines of a visit here.

Taufik said he knew Tomy as an optimistic person and asserted that Indonesia needed people like him to help it get out of the prolonged crisis.

"He (Tomy) told me that he had made investment of US$60 million in Tual, Southeast Maluku, and was confident that in 2005 he would make at least US$500 million," he said.

Taufik visited the Central Sulawesi capital in his capacity as a member of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)

Tomy, a tycoon who controls the Artha Graha group, is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Tempo weekly magazine whom he has accused of running a story that damaged his reputation. -- Antara