3M not violating ministerial decree, GM Mutia proclaims<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): PT Mutiara Mandala Mahardhika (3M) general
\nmanager, Mutia Farida, said on Saturday her company was not
\nviolating a ministerial decree issued by the former ministry of
\nsocial services last year.<\/p>\n
Mutia was responding to an ultimatum given by the state
\nminister of social affairs and chairman of the National Social
\nWelfare Agency (BKSN), Anak Agung Gde Agung, to improve the
\nPeople's Fund for Sports fund-raising program (Damura).<\/p>\n
\"We told Pak Agung in a meeting on Thursday that we were not
\nin violation of the decree. If we have to change the program, we
\nwill only decrease the amount of the prize money and increase the
\npercentage of the donation for sports development,\" she said in a
\ntelephone interview.<\/p>\n
Anak Agung told a news conference on Friday that the
\ngovernment would withhold permission to launch Damura unless PT
\n3M could meet 12 conditions made by the government.<\/p>\n
\"We are within the guidelines of the ministerial decree and
\nhave followed those of the Indonesian Ulemas Council,\" Mutia
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
She said PT 3M would lower the total percentage of prize money
\nfrom 50 percent to 40 percent. PT 3M, which plans to sell 10
\nmillion Damura cards over an as yet to be determined period for
\nRp 5,000 (0.70 US cents) each, initially earmarked Rp 25 billion
\nfor prize money.<\/p>\n
\"The prize money is in accordance with the ministerial decree.
\nThere is a certain calculation which I personally don't really
\nknow. We consider the highest prize money of Rp 25 million fair
\nenough for consumers. We have followed MUI's guidelines saying we
\ncan't offer big prizes as it could encourage people to gamble.\"<\/p>\n
\"The original prize money was Rp 250 million because it's a
\nnew program in the country and we wanted to give the best to our
\nconsumers. The Rp 25 million is based on polling.\"<\/p>\n
Anak Agung said PT 3M was wrong as it offered Rp 166 billion
\nprize money in one year instead of Rp 6 billion as stated in the
\ndecree.<\/p>\n
\"Based on experience in the Philippines, selling has dropped
\nas the organizers lowered the prize money to only 35 percent. We
\ndon't want that to happen here,\" Mutia said.<\/p>\n
Mutia also declined to follow Anak Agung's suggestion to
\nincrease the price of the scratch cards to avoid poor people
\nbuying them.<\/p>\n
\"We think Rp 5,000 is too expensive for them. If we have to
\nincrease the price, it would really be difficult for us to sell
\nthe cards. If Damura is too expensive, I'm afraid the National
\nSports Council (KONI) and BKSN won't get any contribution from
\nour profit,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Mutia also turned down the condition to print the insurance
\npolicies and Damura cards at state money printing company PT
\nPeruri.<\/p>\n
Each Damura ticket consists of two parts. The first is a
\nscratch and win card, which offers a chance to win between Rp
\n5,000 and Rp 25 million if the holder scratches three symbols
\nthat match. The second part is a one-month life insurance policy
\nwhich the holder or his or her estate can claim Rp 2.5 million
\nshould he or she suffer a permanent disability or dies.<\/p>\n
\"I think it's a misunderstanding. Only the insurance policies
\nwill be printed at PT Peruri, not the scratch cards. We could
\nhave printed the cards at PT Peruri but I won't risk the business
\nfor cheaper production costs to avoid counterfeiting. We'll print
\nthe cards at the Scientific Games International (SGI) base in
\nAtlanta, Georgia.\"<\/p>\n
Mutia said KONI would receive 16.5 percent, 10 percent more
\nthan the original agreement, to support sports development. The
\ndecision has followed the government's condition.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the schedule to launch Damura, which was
\noriginally in November 1999, Mutia said due to the Ramadhan
\nfasting month, Christmas holiday and Idul Fitri at the time PT 3M
\nreceived the decree, the launching was postponed out of respect
\nfor Muslims and Christians. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/3m-not-violating-ministerial-decree-gm-mutia-proclaims-1447893297",
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