E. Kalimantan may get only 31 percent of KPC shares

East Kalimantan Province may get only 31 percent of the 51 percent shares of coal miner PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) which are expected to be divested by end June, local daily Kaltim Post reported on Saturday.

The possibility for East Kalimantan getting the 31 percent portion was mentioned in Friday?s discussion between central government and East Kalimantan government officials, according East Kalimantan provincial council vice chairman Kasyful Anwar who attended the meeting.

?East Kalimantan may get between 26 percent and 31 percent of KPC shares,? Kaltim Post quoted Kasyful as saying after the meeting which was chaired by Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuncoro Jakti.

Kasyful added state general mining company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) might get 21-26 percent of the 51 percent shares of KPC. Antam was among several state and private companies which had expressed interest to buy KPC shares.

Several cabinet ministers, East Kalimantan governor Suwarna, East Kutai regent Awang Faroek and other provincial government officials attended the meeting.

Kasyful did not clearly say however whether KPC will divest 51 percent of its shares by end June as originally planned. He only said: ?I am sure before June 30 all problems will have been settled. We have got pictures of solution.?

He said no decision had been made in the meeting. (*)