Jakarta, April 14 (NNN-ANTARA) A total of 42 state-owned enterprises (SOE) have signed 33 memorandums of understanding in an effort to increase their synergy and develop their common corporate advancement.

"We hope that SOEs will follow up these MoUs with cooperation agreements so that their combined capital expenditure will total Rp114 trillion in 2007, or Rp150 trillion in 2008," State Enterprises Minister Sugiharto said.

The minister made the remarks at a SOE forum held here on Friday night. The function was attended by about 200 members of boards of directors and boards of commissioners of the existing 139 SOEs in the country.

Among the companies signing the 33 MoUs were major firms such as state-owned oil company PT Pertamina with state-electricity firm PLN on fuel oil sales; and Pertamina with aiport operator PT Angkasa Pura II on the management of aircraft fuel facility services.

Bank Mandiri cooperates with plantation companies PTPN IV and PTPN XII on the opening of oil palm plantations for plasm farmers and PT PGN and PT Telkom on optic fibre development.

Sugiaharto said the MoUs were signed to follow up President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s directives on increasing the performance of state-owned companies.

In the meantime, Pertamina spokesman Toharso said PT Pertamina signed seven MoUs on strategic cooperation in different fields with seven other state-owned enterprises.

Toharso said that the seven MoUs were part of the 33 other MoUs involving 42 BUMNs signed during a BUMN Forum held here on Friday night.

"We are sure the signing of the MoUs will ncourage other BMUNs to increase their cooperation and solidarity," the Pertamina spokesman said.

The seven BUMNs which signed the MoUs with Pertamina were airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II, road construction company PT Jasa Marga, PT Petrokimia Gresik, fertilizer company PT Pupuk Sriwijaya, steel maker PT Krakatau Steel and tin mining PT Aneka Tambang.