Download Article (A Working Paper -- Rashad 12.21.12)
1. BACKGROUND
2. SESI'S ROLE & STRATEGY
Download Article FEATURED ENTERPRISES
By Ruslan Morris, M.A., C.F.A.
Bapak’s company, P.T. Karya Manca Warna, is forming new Subud Enterprises in Kalimantan
Karmanna’s Legacy
Before discussing the new Subud Enterprises, let’s review the legacy of the Karmanna Group of companies.
In 1970 Ruslan Morris emigrated to Indonesia from the USA, and went into business with
Muhammad Asikin. They started a trading company and were joined in the partnership (C.V.) by
Bapak Mhd Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo, Haryono Sumohadiwidjojo, and Achmad Bachtiar. Bapak
gave the name C.V. Karya Manca Warna, or “Karmanna” for short. Karya means Work, Manca
means Many, and Warna means Colors.
In 1977 P.T. Karya Manca Warna, a limited liability company, was formed with Bapak and Muhammad Asikin as the shareholders. Bapak was the Komisaris (Supervisor) and Asikin was the Director. The previous partnership CV Karya Manca Warna was closed in 1978.
Karmanna was managed by Ruslan Morris and Mhd Asikin. The main fields of business were offset printing and direct marketing, albeit on a small scale. The company was consistently profitable and faithfully paid an honorarium to Bapak every month.
On 14 January 1983, Bapak and Asikin sold their shares to Rahaju Koosman (Ruslan’s wife) and her father, and retired from the company. Karmanna focused on direct marketing and continued to thrive until the monetary crisis crippled the Indonesian economy in 1997. It has been largely inactive since then.
World Subud Council tells SESI to develop Enterprises in Kalimantan
The WSC meeting in 2011 resolved:
“That the WSC empower SESI to establish an investment and financial services company to support the growth of Subud Enterprises and enterprises of Subud members with reference to enterprises particularly in Kalimantan. If determined to be feasible by SESI, the WSA Executive and the WSA Chair, then SESI will inform Subud members of the investment opportunities in the resultant Subud Enterprise.”
Karmanna Restructured to fill the need
P.T. Karya Manca Warna, Bapak’s company, was restructured as an Enterprise Development Company providing consultancy services, feasibility studies, Management and Financial Services, etc. It is now legally permitted to have foreign shareholders. $50,000 seed capital was raised from a small group of Subud members. Subud members participating or working in Karmanna are Ruslan Morris, Hamid daSilva, Rahaju Koosman, Mursalin New, and Lukman Usman.
P.T. Karya Manca Warna’s (KMW) Activities
Karmanna is renting a fully staffed serviced office in South Jakarta, near Wisma Subud, Cilandak. After researching opportunities in Indonesia and in Kalimantan, we the Karmanna team have decided to initially focus on the palm oil plantation industry, a field that Bapak advocated. We have put together a financial feasibility study, a project proposal, and have uncovered 5 potential estate areas in Central Kalimantan. Our friends at KGC introduced us to their attorney, a very senior Dayak leader from Central Kalimantan, and we have engaged him as our legal counsel and advisor.
P.T. Perkebunan Sinar Mulia (PSM)
To acquire property and a license for palm oil, we need a dedicated company, so Karmanna set up P.T. PSM for that purpose. PSM is now collecting and examining background documents such as licenses, land titles, rainfall data, etc. In September 2012 Mursalin New and Lukman Usman will conduct preliminary surveys in Kalimantan of 4 potential palm oil areas that have been offered to us. They range in size from 5,000 – 12,000 hectares.
P.T. Karya Manca Usaha (KMU)
Karmanna has been exploring a joint venture in a sawmill in Central Kalimantan, to produce fully legal sawn timber. Our role would be to provide finance of $220,000, for which we would be entitled to a percentage of the profits. For this KMU has secured a pledge of loan funds from a Subud member. This looks to be a quick yielding project which will support our activities and staff in Kalimantan. (It is also relevant to the palm oil plantation business, as that invariably involves land clearing and often with opportunities for milling of timber.)
For this business we would need a general purpose domestic Indonesian trading company – neither KMW nor PSM have the appropriate license. So we are now in the process of setting up another company, P.T. Karya Manca Usaha, which will be properly licensed to undertake a broad range of trading, construction, transport, and industrial activities. This company will also explore opportunities to provide logistic support to KGC. We will soon open an office in Palangka Raya.
Karmanna Group
We will be referring to KMW as “Karmanna Consult”, and KMU as “Karmanna Trade”. PSM will maintain its own identity for the time being. Each of these companies will donate 20% of its issued shares to MSF or another Subud Institutional shareholder, and will be open to oversight by Subud appointees.
People
Mursalin will be full time with Karmanna / PSM, stationed in Central Kalimantan. Lukman will also be full time with Karmanna / PSM, in Kalimantan and Jakarta. Ruslan has resigned as Coordinator of SESI and intends to step down as CEO of Club Bali, his hotel company, so that ultimately he can devote full time to Subud Enterprises in Kalimantan. We are building a team of several additional full time employees with timber industry experience, employing Subud members whenever feasible.
Your Support
We humbly ask for your support, guidance, and prayers that we will work in accordance with
God’s Will. If we can do that, we are confident of success. Please join the Karmanna forum on
the SESI web site and tell us what you think and feel. Ruslan Morris, 28 August 2012