MUI says planned lottery against Islamic principles<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) has issued
\nan edict stating a planned lottery to raise funds for sports
\ndevelopment violates Islamic principles.<\/p>\n
In the statement signed by chairman Hasan Basri, secretary
\nNazri Adlani and the executive in charge of devising edicts,
\nIbrahim Hosen, on Tuesday, the council asked the National Sports
\nCouncil to drop its plan or change the fund-raising scheme to
\nconform to Islamic teachings.<\/p>\n
The edict capped a two-day special meeting called by the
\ncouncil's board of executives. It was made public only yesterday.<\/p>\n
The edict states the proposal is outlawed because it would
\nfoster fraudulent practices and cause financial losses to the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
\"It's a certainty that the program could play havoc with the
\npeople's mentality and the national economy which is now
\nsuffering in a crisis,\" the statement read as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
The council said the lottery scheme was merely a repeat of the
\nbanned SDSB lottery program, itself the subject of heated public
\ndebate.<\/p>\n
Under the new proposal, the sports council expects to collect
\nRp 100 billion annually from coupon sales. Each coupon, to be
\nsold for Rp 5,000 in an appointed state bank, will also serve as
\na ticket to attend one sports game, except for semifinals and
\nfinals, within a year after its purchase. Lottery organizers
\nprovide cash prizes ranging from Rp 5,000 to Rp 100 million.<\/p>\n
\"The failure to set a certain date for the sports game is
\nconsidered cheating,\" the ulemas council said.<\/p>\n
\"The fact the coupons are not redeemable for semifinals and
\nfinals confirms the fraud, because most sports enthusiasts are
\nfond of watching semifinal and final games.\"<\/p>\n
The MUI argued that prizes promised by the lottery organizers
\nwere illegal according to Islamic law because they were not
\npresented based on merit. In case of competition, the awards
\nwould be acceptable if they were provided by a third party, it
\nadded.<\/p>\n
It also criticized the sports council for inviting a foreign
\ninvestor to participate, saying it may cause capital flight.<\/p>\n
Both the government and the sports council have said the fund-
\nraising program would not tempt people to gamble because the
\ncoupons would not bear numbers.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Social Services' special team of five top
\nofficials is studying the scheme. (yan)<\/p>",
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