Golkar for review of Tapornas<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Golkar chairman Harmoko said that the
\ngovernment's plan to fund-raise for national sports development
\nwith a savings scheme next year should be studied and discussed
\nin the House of Representatives and with mass organizations.<\/p>\n
\"We're still in May, so we've got a few more months to study
\nthis together with the people's representatives in the House and
\nother mass organizations,\" the leader of the ruling political
\ngroup was quoted by Antara as saying Saturday.<\/p>\n
The new scheme, known by the Indonesian abbreviation Tapornas,
\nwas roundly criticized after it was announced last week by State
\nMinister of Sports and Youth Affairs Hayono Isman.<\/p>\n
The government, desperate to find ways of raising funds for
\nsports, had hoped that the scheme could be launched this coming
\nJanuary.<\/p>\n
All but one of the four factions in the House of
\nRepresentatives have rejected the idea, saying that it smacks of
\ngambling and is no different from the SDSB lottery that was
\nabolished in 1993 because of its gambling elements. The sole
\nexception was the Armed Forces faction which said that it was
\nwilling to study the plan.<\/p>\n
Moslem leaders have also given their thumbs down to the
\nsavings scheme because they can't see any guarantee that it will
\nnot be used for gambling.<\/p>\n
\"The government should contact the factions (in the House),
\nand also mass organizations to study Tapornas and ensure that it
\ndoes not cause unwanted effects,\" Harmoko, who is also the
\nminister of information, said in Surabaya on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He stressed that the scheme is not final and deserves a
\nthorough study because Indonesian sports are also at stake.<\/p>\n
He denied that Tapornas is a resurrection of SDSB as many
\nHouse members, including Golkar members, claim. \"We've buried
\nSDSB. Tapornas is an idea to help promote the nation's sports.
\nLet's not link it in any way with SDSB.\"<\/p>\n
Tapornas will be run like a savings scheme with interest rates
\nof between three and five percent, well below the interest rates
\noffered by banks.<\/p>\n
Prizes<\/p>\n
Periodically, raffle prizes totaling Rp 18 billion ($8.2
\nmillion) will be drawn.<\/p>\n
Since the abolition of SDSB in 1993, each sport has had to
\nlook for sponsors. While this is not a problem for popular sports
\nsuch as badminton, tennis, auto-racing and boxing, the less
\npopular sports have had difficulty finding sponsors.<\/p>\n
Lack of funds has also forced the government to shelve its
\nplan to bid for the 2002 Asian Games and to build a new sports
\ncomplex just outside Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Hasan Basri, the chairman of the influential
\nIndonesian Ulema Council, said that there must be many other ways
\nto raise funds.<\/p>\n
He objected to the scheme, because, like the old SDSB, it is
\ngeared toward raising money from the public, particularly the
\npoor. He suggested that sports authorities turn to powerful
\nbusinessmen for money, the Republika daily quoted him a saying
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
\"There are so many of them. And they're getting lucrative
\ngovernment projects. Ask them to contribute,\" he said. (emb)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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