TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Although he was repeatedly reminded to handle the concession issue with the Transportation Ministry first, Richard Josst Lino went ahead with his plan to extend the contract with Hutchinson at the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT). He claimed a deputy attorney-general in charge of state administration gave him the green light. At his Pelindo II office at Tanjung Priok port, Lino spoke to Tempo reporter Khairul Anam, to explain his position.

What was your meeting with Hutchison Whampoa Ltd last June in Hong Kong about?

That was the finalization of the agreement. We tied up loose ends of what we agreed on with Hutchinson.

This amendment can be an issue legally because it contravenes the shipping law.

Go ahead and sue us.

Last year, the Transportation Ministry had reminded you on the concession point before the Pelindo-Hutchinson contract was extended.

That was about the concession, not the contract extension. The concession is the business of the Transportation Ministry. I have asked the deputy attorney general on state administration about it. Should I ask concession over my own assets? These are assets I controlled before the shipping law was enacted. The deputy attorney general suggested that I didn't need the concession.

But Minister Jonan regards the law as higher than the opinion of an attorney-general.

Of course the law is higher. But what is the meaning of a legislation? I have one interpretation, he has another of it. So I asked his views about the shipping law. Do you think the attorney general didn't look at the law? Let's not discuss who is higher.

The recommendation of the Pelindo II council of commissioners and the SOEs minister also asked Pelindo II to settle this concession issue.

Well, the attorney-general already gave his opinion.

To Minister Jonan, the concession is about revenues not taxes.

He has no right, that's his interpretation, that the port is his. I believe the port is mine. Kalibaru or New Priok is the government's. Jonan said the state was taking over Tanjung Priok again, but Pelindo II was set up by the state as a separate asset. Where's the logic? Tell Jonan he should fight the attorney-general, not me, because we are in opposing positions.

What is there between you and Jonan?

I don't know. Ask him. Jonan was my friend. I'm confused, after he became minister, he's always been after me. He should be taking advantage of me, his friends at the state-owned enterprises to help him settle his work at Transportation.

Are you eyeing Jonan's seat by any chance?

I have never wanted to become a minister. I want to clean up the port. More useful, because Indonesia's big problem is always in its execution.

The debate on this concession has been around since the time Transportation Minister E.E. Mangindaan, but it arose again with Minister Jonan today?

People forget that Pelindo II is a state-owned company. If Pelindo makes a profit, the money will be used to develop ports. If it was privately-owned the money would go overseas. They should be defending us, not upsetting us with this or that regulation. If necessary, change them.

Change regulations on concession on non-tax revenues?

The non-tax revenues should be income from something that the state is working on. If the state does not do anything, they cannot expect revenues. They don't clean up the port, and now they want the profits?

Why don't you ask the shipping law to be changed?

We've been talking about it for a long time.

Besides the concession, Jonan asked that you stop working with foreign interests at the JICT.

What private company would want to build ports in Indonesia? If there was a foreign investor who is willing to come here and do it, I would give him 100 percent ownership. Infrastructure cannot be folded and take home back to their countries, Maybe the dividends. (*)