Permit for TV quiz deferred<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Social Services Yustika S. Baharsyah
\npostponed her ministerial decree permitting PT Lintas Artha Raya
\n(LAR) to launch its Analisa Olahraga (Sports Analysis) television
\nquiz amid rising public pressure.<\/p>\n
Yustika said on Tuesday she would review the contents of the
\nquiz to decide if the quiz constituted gambling or if the
\npossibility existed the public could misuse the quiz for
\ngambling.<\/p>\n
"We earlier received an explanation and decided that the quiz
\ndid not contain gambling. Later on, some people who don't really
\nknow about this business said it was gambling. They also said the
\nquiz could be misused for gambling."<\/p>\n
"If the quiz can be misused and produce negative impacts and
\ncause the public trouble, particularly during the upcoming
\nelections, I will decide to delay the decree," she said.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Social Services issued a decree on March 4
\npermitting PT LAR to launch the quiz. It issued another decree on
\nApril 12 giving the company permission to market the quiz.<\/p>\n
Prospective customers must buy products -- either pens,
\npencils or postcards -- from PT LAR for about Rp 3,000 before
\nreceiving two coupons which contain sports questions.<\/p>\n
If customers answer four questions correctly they win Rp 6
\nmillion. Three correct answers garners Rp 750,000, while two
\ncorrectly answered questions earns customers Rp 150,000.<\/p>\n
Yustika said she would revoke both ministerial decrees if she
\ndiscovered any irregularities during the review.<\/p>\n
The minister's decision to issue the decrees was supported by
\nthe Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI)
\nthrough its edict dated March 25. Jakarta's MUI chapter said the
\nquiz fulfilled the Islamic law on trading.<\/p>\n
But on Monday, the central MUI annulled the Jakarta branch's
\nrecommendation, saying the venture included usury, which is
\nunlawful.<\/p>\n
The ministry's spokesman, Ferry Johannes, said PT LAR could
\ncontinue to sell its products without distributing the coupons.<\/p>\n
He also dismissed allegations the ministry received a portion
\nof the sales of the coupons from the company. "We don't know if
\nPT LAR has profited from the sales because the drawing has only
\nbeen held twice," Ferry said.<\/p>\n
PT LAR spokesman Zulkarnain Surya was quoted by Antara as
\nsaying his company would continue to sell its products and stop
\ndistributing the coupons. He said the company would wait for the
\nresults of the ministry's review. (ivy)<\/p>",
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