Late Salim: Tahapan BCA Should Improve

VIVAnews – Indonesian entrepreneurs mourned the departure of Liem Sioe Liong, who had been known Sudono Salim, at the age of 95 in Singapore on Sunday.  

The businessman who was once the richest man in Indonesia during the New Order era passed away due to old age. 

“I have checked with the news. He did pass away in Singapore,” said Sofjan Wanandi, Liem Sioe Liong’s business partner, when reached by VIVAnews by telephone call on Sunday, June 10th.

Sofjan, who is also the Chairman of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo), said he received the news of Sudono Salim’s death via short messages. There are three short messages from his associates in Singapore regarding the news. 

Franciscus Welirang, Vice President of PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk, who is also Lim Sioe Liong’s son-in-law, confirmed that his father-in-law passed away in Singapore on 10 June 2012 at 3.50 pm local time. 

“I received the news from my wife there,” said Franciscus through a telephone call, on Sunday. 

Liem Sioe Liong was born in China on 10 September 1915. Nicknamed Uncle Liem, he was the founder of Salim Group and the owner of a number of major companies, such as PT Bank Central Asia Tbk.

However, Salim Group is no longer the majority shareholder in BCA. The 55-year old bank was once the largest bank in Indonesia with its top product, Tahapan BCA. 

Based on the data on bca.co.id website, Salim Group through his son, Anthoni Salim, only owns 1.76 percent of shares in BCA. 

BCA’s major shareowners as of December 31st, 2011, are: Djarum Group through Farindo Investment, Ltd, based in Mauritius (47.15%), followed by BCA’s treasury stock (1.18%) and the public (49.91%).

BCA’s CEO, Jahja Setiatmadja, said that Uncle Liem once left a message to BCA’s management. 

“He used to say at times that Tahapan BCA must be improved,” he said in a short message to VIVAnews in Jakarta, on Monday, June 11th.

Now, based on the data of the Indonesian Stock Exchange, BCA’s stock market capitalization value as of 8 June 2012 has reached Rp172.07 trillion.

This stock market capitalization value is fourth largest behind PT Astra International Tbk (ASII) (Rp269.2 trillion), PT HM Sampoerna Tbk (HMSP) (Rp219.15 trillion), and PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk (UNVR) (Rp174.7 trillion).