Tycoons donate Rp 10b to Aceh

JAKARTA: A number of ethnic Chinese businesspeople handed over Rp 10.5 billion (US$1.16 million) for the relief effort in Aceh to Vice President Jusuf Kalla during a ceremony at the latter's office on Tuesday.

Among the donors were Prajogo Pangestu of the Barito and Chandra Asri group, Mochtar Riady of the Lippo Group, The Ning King of the Agro Manunggal Group and Ikuo Yoshiro of Bridgestone Tyre Indonesia.

Prajogo had been declared a corruption suspect for allegedly marking up the area of land managed by his company in order to procure more reforestation funds. The Attorney General's Office halted the probe into the case for unknown reasons in 2003.

Sukamdani S. Gitosardjono, who chairs the Indonesian-Chinese Business Association, said the donation was a manifestation of the social concern of the businesspeople for the tsunami victims in Aceh.

While expressing his gratitude for the aid, Kalla said during the ceremony that all businesses had to pay their taxes regularly. -- JP