T

heState-Owned Enterprises Ministry will change the status of stateconstruction company PT Hutama Karya as a highway management company toenable it to carry out the planned Trans-Sumatra toll road project.

"HutamaKarya'€™s focus will be as a highway company. The process of the statuschange is being handled by the ministry and it will not be too difficultas it will deal only with the change in the notary issue. So in August2013 it [the process] will be completed," State-Owned Enterprises MinisterDahlan Iskan said in Jakartaon Monday as quoted by Antara news agency.

HutamaKarya has been assigned by the government to be in charge of buildingthe Trans-Sumatra toll road project, spanning 2,700 kilometers linkingBandar Lampung in the south to Banda Aceh in the north under aPresidential Decree.

However,the issuance of the decree has been hindered by a regulation that requiresthe status of Hutama Karya to be changed into a company specializing inmanaging toll roads.

Dahlan saidafter becoming a highway company, Hutama Karya could acquire two otherstate-owned enterprises, including the Istaka Karya company.

HutamaKarya could develop large-scale projects through Istaka Karya or othersubsidiaries, he added. (apt)