ABSTRAK
To give Indonesian debtors and foreign creditors a way out of the crisis, in early July1998 government launched INDRA (Indonesian Debt Restructuring Agency). This scheme isnot quite success as Ficorca, the similar Mexican scheme. INDRA is a contract that allowsIndonesian debtors to enter into a foreign-exchange rate insurance scheme with the governmentDollar-denominated rescheduled debts are paid by the government after a grace period, whileIndonesian debtors service their debts to INDRA, in domestic cuirency at an agreed-uponexchange rate at the time of the contract. If the real exchange rate appreciates during the period of servicing of the foreign debts,these firms bave the option to leave INDRA and purchase dollars at more agreeable market rate.Thus, firms are insured against losses due to rupiah depreciation, while they have an opportunityor option to take advantage of &vorable developments. In short, INDRA performs a service to Indonesia debtor firms, in the form of offering aforeign exchange ?insurance scheme? with the option to leave that normally is not offered infinancial markets for such time horizons. Unlike such market-priced option packages, theINDRA pm gram does not require the dollar up-front payment. Instead, 1NDRA participants payup-fmnt monthly rupiah installments on both interest and principle. Survey reveals, Indonesia debtors don?t pay much attention to this alternative solution offoreign debt The reasons are the scheme of INDRA doesn?t match company?s cash flow, fòreigncreditors don?t agree to such a long period of installment, it needs socialization, tack ofcommitment from the company?s owner, INDRA?s exchange rate stilt high and finallydifficulties to enforce the right of ofl?hore creditor make debtors more reluctant to æstnjcture thedebt. Lower INDRA?s exchange rate than market exchange rate, is obviously a veiled subsidyby government but it ¡s not enough to attract indebted Indonesian companies. We could notblame on economic crisis on and on. The bottom line of INDRA is about the governmentestablishing credibility. On the other hand, INDRA is about expectations. JNDRA is about givingassurance to Indonesian debtors which are protected from any instability of foreign exchangerate volatility. Many said, even mpiäh-doijar exchange rate back to normal rate, still difficult to repaythe loan as being scheduled. Thus, the problem is not on the bad or good INDRA scheme but onthe company?s fùndamentai activitites. Instability os exchange rate means a back fire to thegovernment as more exchange rate subsidy to be performed in INDRA mechanism.