'Love Rupiah' campaign gains support<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The campaign to restore confidence in the
\nbattered Indonesian currency is gaining momentum with groups of
\njournalists, businesspeople and legislators pledging to exchange
\ntheir U.S. dollars for rupiah.<\/p>\n
A group of Indonesian editors said they would change their
\ndollars to rupiah today through the counter of Bank Bumi Daya
\n(BBD) at Bank Indonesia, the central bank, on Jl. Thamrin,
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Editors Group, in a statement signed on
\nSaturday by Zulfiani Lubis and Marah Sakti Siregar, said Bank
\nIndonesia governor Soedrajad Djiwandono and the bank's directors
\nwould change the journalists' dollars to rupiah in a special
\nceremony.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that at least five noted businessmen would
\nparticipate in the event. They are Sahid Gitosardjono, who owns
\nthe five-star Sahid Jaya hotel in Jakarta; chairman of the
\nIndonesian franchise business association Bambang N. Rachmadi;
\nThe Nin King, who chairs the Argo Manunggal Group; chief of the
\nGobel electronics group Rachmat Gobel; and Jusuf Kalla, a South
\nSulawesi businessman and president of PT Bumi Karsa.<\/p>\n
The editors' statement also quoted legislator Indra Bambang
\nUtoyo and his colleagues in the House of Representatives' state
\nbudget commission as saying that they supported the drive.<\/p>\n
\"We are for this drive and we will come (today) to participate
\nactively in this drive,\" Indra was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Indonesian Businesswomen Association (IWAPI)
\nsaid in a statement Saturday they had scheduled \"a solidarity
\ncampaign\" for Friday in which several public figures would sell
\ntheir dollars in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The drive, to be held at the Bank Exim building on Jl. Gatot
\nSubroto, South Jakarta, would involve prominent names including
\nbusiness tycoon Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, Moslem scholar
\nNurcholish Madjid, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, legislator Ekki
\nSjachrudin, Secretary of Development Operations Lt. Gen. AM
\nHendropriyono and North Sumatra military chief Maj. Gen. Rizal
\nNurdin.<\/p>\n
It would also include artists Rhoma Irama, Neno Warisman,
\nTitiek Puspa and Deddy Gumelar, businesswoman Mooryati Sudibyo,
\nassistant to the Armed Forces chief of socio-political affairs
\nMaj. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and Jakarta Military
\ncommander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.<\/p>\n
\"There's already enough expression of concern. Now is the time
\nfor action,\" said Suryani Motik, the chairperson of IWAPI, in the
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, at least one hotel in the East Java capital of
\nSurabaya, the four-star Garden Palace hotel on Jl. Yos Sudarso,
\nhas agreed to set their room rates in rupiah. In North Sumatra,
\ntravel bureaus, hotels and restaurants have also agreed to quote
\ntheir tourism packages and room rates in rupiah.<\/p>\n
Antara said the agreement was reached here Saturday by the
\nprovincial branches of the Association of Indonesian Travel
\nBureaus (ASITA) and the Indonesian Restaurant and Hotel
\nAssociation (PHRI) at a meeting organized by the North Sumatra
\nTourism Board (Bawisda).<\/p>\n
The development of the \"love rupiah\" drive came only a day
\nafter President Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti
\nRukmana changed US$50,000 to rupiah in a highly publicized event.<\/p>\n
\"Let us all exchange our dollars for rupiah,\" urged Mbak
\n(Sister) Tutut, as Hardiyanti is better known, when she changed
\nher money to the BBD in Central Jakarta last Friday.<\/p>\n
She said she sold her dollars because she was an Indonesian
\ncitizen who loved her country very much. \"I love the rupiah, and
\nI will keep rupiah in the bank,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Hardiyanti's drive followed the rupiah's free fall against the
\nU.S. dollar last Thursday when the local currency crashed to an
\nhistoric low of Rp 10,000. This, and rumors about impending steep
\nprice hikes, sparked a massive shopping rush for basic daily
\nneeds at markets in many regions.<\/p>\n
The frenzy calmed down yesterday in the markets of Central
\nJava's capital of Semarang.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, political observer Rudini told a discussion at
\nGadjah Mada University that all members of society should be
\naware of \"certain parties\" who would exploit the present crisis
\n\"by fishing in murky waters\". (aan\/har)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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