Freeport ready to be audited by BPK

The Copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia has said it is ready for the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK)?s audit and promised that it would explain transparently the details of the total volume of gold, silver and copper concentrate extracted in Papua so far, the Bisnis Indonesia reported on Saturday.

Freeport?s manager corporate communications Siddharta Moersjid said his company will not block BPK?s audit and give all the real information if it is needed.

?Freeport is a public company, so we will have an open attitude,? Siddharta said.

He claimed that Freeport was regularly audited by a registered public accountant.

?Possibly, people may not be knowing much about Freeport,? Siddharta said without citing the name of the auditor.

He further said Freeport has worked with all institutions and groups, like House of Representatives? working committee, which debated about Freeport. He said Freeport has al ready submitted all the information needed by the working committee.

Recently, it was found that the government received US$304 million from 2000 until 2005, which was much lower than what Freeport claimed through its financial statements.(*)