Tycoon Eka pledges support for Golkar

Tycoon Eka pledges support for Golkar

JAKARTA (JP): A top business tycoon expressed his readiness to
support the ruling Golkar party in the upcoming general election
campaign, Antara reported.

Eka Tjipta Widjaja, owner of the Sinar Mas Group, the number
two conglomerate in Indonesia after the Salim Group, said
Thursday evening: "I became a big entrepreneur because of the New
Order and Golkar which are both led by President Soeharto."

"Before that, I was only a street vendor. This is why I want
to help Golkar," he said in a discussion on people's economic
empowerment sponsored by the group.

He further said he had no reason not to extend assistance to
Golkar, which "always gives attention to the low-income society."

He recalled that before the New Order administration, there
were some 70 million people living in poverty. "But now, there
are only about 11.5 million people (of the 200 million
population) living below the poverty line."

The tycoon expressed his hope that in five years no one would
be living below that line anymore.

Asked how much he gave to the ruling party in the 1992
election campaign, he said he could not remember. "I never count
the money I spend (for Golkar)," he said.

He reminded the forum he was a cadre, though he could not
remember his membership number. "That's why it's obligatory for
me to help Golkar," he said.

However, he refused to be a campaigner because "I am not good
at it. In smaller meetings such as this I could speak, but in
front of a mass of people, no. I'd be too nervous. If I'm chosen
to canvass for votes, Golkar might lose votes instead."

Asked whether he was ready to be active in politics, Eka said:
"I know nothing about politics. All I know is trade."

Also attending the discussion was another leading businessman
cum Golkar leader, Fadel Muhammad.

Eka was among a handful of businessmen honored as top
taxpayers. The total assets of his companies amount to Rp 19,500
billion and his personal assets reportedly amount to US$ 1.1
billion.

"Even though I have millions of dollars, I never ride
executive class. I choose economy class to save money," he said.
"Once, I reproached my son for flying first class, but he told me
times have changed. If we fly economy and we meet bankers who
give up loans, we'll lose our credibility." (swe)