The Problem with Selling National Assets

After the uproar over PT Semen Padang, the government is now putting Telkom, Socfindo and Wisma Nusantara up for bids to procure funds from the privatization of SOEs. But at what cost?

November 20, 2001

Lebaran and Christmas are approaching, there are discounts galore. The government wants to jump on the bandwagon. A number of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) are being offered to investors. Within 45 days, the government must accrue Rp6.5 trillion from their sale. If not, the budget deficit will soar by Rp53.4 trillion, or 3.7 percent from the gross domestic product. Unfortunately, up until last week, the government still has not received a single...

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