Sjamsuddin has twice rejected offers from the Army Corps of Engineers in Southeast Sulawesi to join a project to open up new paddy fields in the province. The heavy machinery contractor cited his reason for rejecting the offer. "The price quoted by the military (TNI) was too low," Sjamsuddin said last week.

The latest offer came in July, when he and several other contractors were invited to a meeting at the TNI Engineers' base in Kendari. The TNI