Soros meets Boediono

George Soros, chairman of Soros Fund Management LLC and founder of The Open Society Institute, is scheduled to meet VP Boediono in Jakarta this morning. Boediono's spokesperson Yopie Hidayat confirmed the meeting to Tempointeraktif.com but disclosed no details about issues they would discuss.

Soros visited Indonesia several times in the past few years. "This is just a courtesy call. No specific agenda," Yopie said.

After the meeting, Soros indirectly defended government's decision to bailout Century. "Indonesia has walked out from difficult times successfully," Soros said. The money spent to bailout Century, he said, is nothing compared to the success to tame the financial crisis. Well, Boediono needs support like that. He has been widely blamed for the mess at Century. Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politicians said Boediono is responsible for 80% of problems and violations related to Century.

Soros has been mentioned in various "deals" in Indonesia. The latest is about his "interest" to acquire Apexindo from Mitra Rajasa. In 2007, he met Aceh governor Irwandi Yusuf in New York, sparked speculation about his interest to invest in Aceh's mining sector. Last month, Robert Tantular, former controlling owner of the troubled Bank Century, told legislators that in 1999 he sold some of his shares in CIC Bank (one of three banks merged into Century, now Mutiara) to Quantum Fund controlled by Soros.

READ MORE!!!