SEA Games donations are not compulsory<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A city councilor has advised the public that it
\nis acceptable to refuse to pay any additional fees on their
\nutility bills.<\/p>\n
Utility companies have been charging their customers extra to
\nhelp finance the upcoming 19th SEA Games in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Under a Ministry of Social Services decree, the Jakarta
\nmunicipality recently appointed a consortium, PT Angkasa
\nRonagraha, to raise Rp 35 billion (US$14.6 million) to help
\nfinance the Rp 100 billion sports event by collecting donations
\nfrom people settling their electricity, water and other utility
\nbills.<\/p>\n
Donations are set at between Rp 1,000 and Rp 50,000 each, for
\nwhich a sticker is given as a receipt.<\/p>\n
Lukman Mokoginta, who represents the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty, however, said yesterday that people with a low income
\nshould have the courage to refuse to contribute to funding the
\nSoutheast Asian Games.<\/p>\n
The Games are scheduled to begin here in October.<\/p>\n
Lukman said the municipality needed to specify further its
\nmeans of raising funds because society had contributed to many
\nfund-raising drives held in cooperation with the electricity,
\nwater and telephone companies.<\/p>\n
"Low-income families should be exempted from paying the
\nmultiple accounts of fees," Lukman said, adding that the
\ngovernment should instead encourage more donations from the upper
\nclass.<\/p>\n
State-owned electricity company PLN exempts households which
\nhave an electricity capacity of below 900 watts. But state-owned
\nwater company PT PAM Jaya is charging all of its customers Rp
\n1,000 in donations per month.<\/p>\n
The fund-raising started in February in accordance with a
\nmunicipality decree. The fund-raising could continue until the
\ntarget is reached.<\/p>\n
The municipality decree also states that the city's revenue
\noffice is to collect fees from visitors to entertainment centers,
\nmotels, clinics, restaurants and automobile license bureaus, and
\nadvertisers.<\/p>\n
For every cinema ticket costing more than Rp 10,000,
\nmoviegoers should pay Rp 1,000. "Moviegoers need to show their
\nsticker-receipt before they pay so the cashier does not charge
\nthem again," Lukman said.<\/p>\n
"People could refuse to pay additional fees if their tickets
\ndo not have SEA Games stickers," Lukman said.<\/p>\n
The donations are also compulsory for grocery shoppers who
\nspend Rp 50,000 or more, as the municipality told the Association
\nof Indonesian Retailers (Aprindo) to start SEA Games fund-raising
\nin supermarkets and department stores.<\/p>\n
Airplane passengers must also pay donations, set at Rp 1,000
\nper ticket.<\/p>\n
The National Land Agency is also charging people between Rp
\n25,000 and Rp 50,000 for every land title request.<\/p>\n
The decree also states that PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol is
\nallowed to charge every four-wheel vehicle entering Ancol
\nRecreation Park Rp 1,000.<\/p>\n
Advertisers renting billboards are also charged a contribution
\nof between Rp 5,000 and Rp 350,000, depending on the size and
\nlocation. (10)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sea-games-donations-are-not-compulsory-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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