Taufik sings Tomy's praises

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