MULYANI: GLOBAL SUKUK SALE NOT TO EXCEED US$600 MILLION

Jakarta, April 16 (ANTARA) - Finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said here on Thursday that Indonesia would sell global shariah bonds (sukuks)worth not more than US$600 million, although market demand was quite high.

"The existing total underlying assets are valued at US$600 million so that the sukuks to be issued would also reach that amount. We certainly cannot increase them although demand is high," she said at a press conference after a coordination meeting on economy.

The minister said the offering was now underway and therefore she could not comment much on the issue. "The process is ongoing. I cannot comment. But indeed the number of subscribers is big," she said.

She hoped the government could suppress the price of the sukuks in oder to gain the best condition. "Do not forget this is the first Indonesia issues international sukuks following a crisis particularly the drop of the oil price," she said.

"We will make the final announcement after transactions and all relevant activities had been completed. An explanation about the result of offering can only be given tomorrow," she said.