Jakarta – The government, through the Office of the State Ministry for State Enterprises, plans to sell or privatize 25 state enterprises this year, which include nine to be privatized in 2001, but carried over to 2002, and 16 new ones.
The decision was made at a meeting of the government privatization policy team headed by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs on Thursday.
According to Minister of State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi, the privatization is expected to encourage the state enterprises to improve their performance and corporate value for higher competitiveness against similar industries in the national, regional and global market.
He said further that the government's privatization program was also aimed at accelerating economic recovery which would eventually benefit the people.
Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Dorojatun Kuntjoro Jakti hoped the privatization of state enterprises would be more professional and transparent and give great benefits to the companies, their employees and the state's economy.
The state enterprises which had been carried over from 2001 to this year's privatization program include hotel operator PT Wisma Nusantara International; airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II (Airport); pharmaceutical companies PT Indofarma Tbk and PT Kimia Farma Tbk; telecom provider PT Indosat Tbk.; coal mining company PT Batubara Bukit Asam; cement producers PT Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa Tbk and PT Semen Gresik Tbk; and PT Bank Mandiri.
Meanwhile the new state enterprises to be privatized this year include tyre producer PT Intirub; consultants PT Atmindo and PT Cambrics Primissima; glass producer PT Iglas Produksi Gelas; hotel operator PT Jakarta International Hotel; paper producers PT Kertas Blabak, PT Kertas Padalarang and PT Kertas Basuki Rahmat.
The others are construction consultants PT Indah Karya, PT Indra Karya, PT Virama Karya, PT Yodya Karya; dredging company PT Rukindo; engineering company PT Rekayasa Industri; airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I; and securities company PT Danareksa.