Donation on poverty alleviation to be reported<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An accountability report on donations to a
\npoverty alleviation program will be released Monday at President
\nSoeharto's residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The President would chair the first annual meeting of the
\nYayasan Dana Sejahtera Mandiri foundation, which runs the
\nprogram, State Minister of Population Haryono Suyono said
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
\"The president has ordered me to make thorough preparations
\nfor the meeting,\" Haryono said after meeting Soeharto at Merdeka
\nPalace.<\/p>\n
The financial report, audited by a public accountant, will be
\nreleased to donors and the public to inform them on how donations
\nwere used in the poverty alleviation program.<\/p>\n
\"The foundation has collected Rp 762 billion (US$ 338.7
\nmillion),\" Haryono said.<\/p>\n
He said the number of individual donors had increased from
\n3,000 in 1996\/1997 to 5,000 in 1997\/998, but the number of
\ncompanies had dropped from 5,000 to 3,400 over the same period.<\/p>\n
\"The number of companies dropped because many of them are
\nstill waiting for their annual shareholders' meetings (to take
\ndecisions on donations),\" said Haryono.<\/p>\n
The foundation was set up in January 1996 to help 22 million
\npeople living below the poverty. Soeharto chairs the foundation
\nin a personal capacity.<\/p>\n
Soeharto set up the foundation with businessmen Sudono Salim
\n(Liem Sioe Liong) and Sudwikatmono and minister Haryono. They are
\nall deputies of the foundation.<\/p>\n
Soeharto and the foundation's other executives would discuss
\nfuture programs besides presenting the report, Haryono said.<\/p>\n
Bambang Trihatmodjo, Soeharto's son, is the foundation's
\ntreasurer and Anthony Salim, Liem's son, is deputy treasurer.
\nMinister of Cooperatives and Small Companies Subijakto
\nTjakrawardaja is the secretary and Director General for Tax Fuad
\nBawazier is deputy secretary.<\/p>\n
\"The president ordered that the program be accelerated to
\neradicate poverty and socioeconomic disparity,\" Haryono said.<\/p>\n
The foundation gets its funds from donations based on
\nPresidential Decree No.90\/1995.<\/p>\n
The decree urges individuals and companies with after-tax
\nincomes or profits of more than Rp 100 million a year to donate
\nup to 2 percent of their earnings to the program.<\/p>\n
Soeharto announced last week in Bogor that his foundation had
\nlent Rp 118.246 billion to almost six million poor people in the
\nlast two years.<\/p>\n
In the first cabinet meeting on the poverty alleviation
\nprogram in April, Soeharto said the program had reduced the
\nnumber of people living below the poverty line from 25.9 million
\nin 1995 to 22.5 million in 1996.<\/p>\n
The government launched a special poverty alleviation program
\nin 1994 for least-developed villages. The Presidential Aid for
\nthe Least Developed Villages program handed out Rp 20 million to
\nevery poor village.<\/p>\n
\"The president hopes that our efforts to fight poverty does
\nnot stop at meetings only,\" Haryono said. (06)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/donation-on-poverty-alleviation-to-be-reported-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}