Foundation to collect alms from private sector<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): If all goes well, a private charity foundation
\nchaired by President Soeharto will soon be collecting alms from
\nworkers in the private sector which will be deducted from their
\nmonthly pay packets, it was announced yesterday.<\/p>\n
Minister of Social Services Endang Kusuma Inten Suweno
\ndisclosed the plan yesterday as part of the National Alms
\nMovement which will be launched next month.<\/p>\n
Inten yesterday met with Soeharto, in his capacity as chairman
\nof the Yayasan Amal Bhakti Muslim Pancasila, a private foundation
\nheavily involved in various charitable activities.<\/p>\n
The foundation already collects alms from Moslem members of
\nthe Civil Service and the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
Inten said Soeharto yesterday proposed that employees set
\naside a small amount of their salaries for alms channeled through
\nthe foundation as part of the national alms movement.<\/p>\n
Those with monthly earnings of up to Rp 200,000 are asked to
\ncontribute Rp 200 each month. Those earning between Rp 200,000
\nand Rp 500,000 will be asked to set aside Rp 1,000 and those
\nearning more than Rp 500,000 will be asked to contribute Rp
\n2,000, Inten said.<\/p>\n
The managements of private companies will be asked to deduct
\nthe alms contribution from the pay packets of their workers and
\nsend the money to the foundation each month, she said.<\/p>\n
\"This is not coercion, it is an appeal from the Chairman of
\nYayasan Amal Bhakti Muslim Pancasila,\" Inten said.<\/p>\n
Specifically, the money will be used to improve the welfare of
\npoor people, scholarships for those who need them and to raise
\nthe standard of those still living below the poverty line, she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Inten was accompanied at the press briefing by former minister
\nBustanil Arifin who heads the national committee for the
\ncelebration of National Solidarity Day, and noted businessman
\nSudwikatmono.<\/p>\n
Inten said Bustanil will explain the detail of the alms
\ncollection to the public in the near future. President Soeharto
\nhad discussed the planned campaign with a number of business
\nleaders and they supported it, she added.<\/p>\n
The plan is already working well with the civil service and
\nArmed Forces. Non-Moslem civil servants and Armed Forces members
\nare also giving alms but through Yayasan Dharmais, another
\ncharity foundation chaired by Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Inten said the committee for National Social Solidarity Day
\nlast year raised Rp 12.5 billion ($5.9 million) from the business
\ncommunity.<\/p>\n
Rp 8.5 billion of the funds has been used to finance the
\nconstruction of three low-cost apartment buildings. The
\napartments are scheduled for completion in March, she said.<\/p>\n
The other four billion rupiah has been spent constructing
\nhouses in former slum areas of the five regions in Jakarta, she
\nsaid, adding that the houses would be inaugurated on the National
\nSocial Solidarity Day on Dec. 20.<\/p>\n
However, the peak of Social Solidarity Day will be held in
\nAmbon on Dec. 17 when President Soeharto gives awards to 22
\nsocial workers for their dedication. On the same day Soeharto
\nwill also launch National Green Week, Inten said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Ulema Council yesterday joined in the official
\ncampaign to encourage Moslems to pay their taxes to the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
The council's chairman, Hasan Basri said that as Indonesian
\ncitizens, Indonesian Moslems are obliged to pay their taxes to
\nthe government in addition to paying zakat, the obligatory Moslem
\ntax and alms.<\/p>\n
\"Paying taxes to the state is the obligation of every citizen
\nto ensure the government's development program,\" Hasan said
\nduring a meeting between tax officials and members of all the
\ncouncil's chapters in Kalimantan on Monday, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
Hasan said the ulemas have a duty to help tax officials inform
\nmembers of the public of their tax obligations to the state.<\/p>\n
The campaign was launched as the tax office prepares to close
\nits books on Dec. 31 for 1994 land and property taxes. (sim\/emb)<\/p>",
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