Govt to announce names of state firms to be privatized in 2007

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government will announce next month the names of state firms to be privatized in 2007, State Enterprises Minister Sugiharto said.

"The names of state firms to be privatized will be determined in November 2006," he said on Thursday.

He said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had set up a team in charge of privatizing state firms. But the team had not held a meeting to determine the names of state firms that would be high on the list of privatization priorities.

The government expects to earn Rp3.3 trillion from the privatization of state firms in 2007 compared to Rp3 trillion in 2006.

Earlier, the Office of State Enterprises Minister said the government would privatize 14 state firms next year. Proceeds from the privatization of three state firms, namely PT Wijaya Karya, PT Krakatau Steel and PT Bank BTN will be used to develop their businesses.

The other 11 state firms are PT Bank BNI, PT Inti, PT Cambrics Primissima, PT Atmindo, PT Kertas Padalarang, PT Askrindo, PT Intirub, PT Reksadana, PT Jakarta International Hotel Development, PT Kertas Blabak, and PT Kertas Basuki Rahmat.

Proceeds from the privatization of the 11 state firms will be used to offset a deficit of the 2007 state budget.

But Sugiharto said his office still had to discuss the names of 14 state firms in an internal meeting, after which they would be conveyed to the team for approval by the House of Representatives.

"The team will determine the names of state firms according to the given criteria and parameters," he said.

Until October 2006, the government had not privatized any of state firms although it had set proceeds from the privatization of state firms this year at Rp3 trillion. (*)