DENPASAR ~ American and Singaporean investors are eyeing two local banks that are seeking funds to increase their capital to a minimum of Rp80 billion (US$8.6 million) each, an official said.

“Some Indonesian and foreign investors have expressed keen interest in buying Bank Sriparta and Bank Sinar, which are required to increase their capital to Rp80 billion each by the end of 2007,” Achmad Fauji of the central Bank Indonesia’s Bali office was quoted by state news agency Antara as saying at the weekend.

Investors from Singapore and the United States had been exploring the possibility of buying Bank Sriparta, he said, declining to say where investor interest came from regarding Bank Sinar.

Head of the central bank in Bali I Ketut Sanjaya previously said that Bank Sinar was seeking additional capital of Rp55 billion and Bank Sriparta Rp65 billion.