Tycoons donate Rp 10b to Aceh

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