Vico lambasted for preferring outside suppliers

Oil and gas company Vico in Muara Badak area, East Kalimantan, was lambasted by the local business association (APMB) for preferring outside suppliers to support the company?s operation, the local Kaltim Post daily reported Wednesday.

APMB executive Kholil Prawiro said that local suppliers had often loss in a tender held by Vico due to the lack of certain qualification, but suppliers from outside Muara Badak area such as from Samarinda and Jakarta could win the tender even without meeting the qualification.

He said that it was sad to see that amid the current regional autonomy era, local suppliers could not thrive in their hometown.

APMB appealed to the local Kutai Kertanegara administration and parliament to summon Vico for making discrimination against local businessmen.(*)