Soeharto tells the rich to give money to the poor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto warned rich Indonesians
\nyesterday to voluntarily set aside a small portion of their
\nwealth for the poor, before being forced to do so by the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"At this stage, the government is simply appealing. But if
\nthis is ignored, we will make it obligatory,\" Soeharto was quoted
\nby Antara as saying in his address to a meeting of approximately
\n10,000 youths in Hanura, Lampung.<\/p>\n
\"This is not robbery. The poor are entitled to demand
\nsomething from those who are more fortunate and able,\" he said to
\nthe members of Karang Taruna, a government-sponsored youth
\norganization which has branches in every village throughout the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's message went a little further than the remarks he
\nmade during a meeting with Indonesia's biggest individual and
\ncorporate taxpayers in Bogor early this month.<\/p>\n
In Bogor, Soeharto stated that the wealthy had a \"moral
\nobligation\" to support the poor, and that they owed their wealth
\nto his administration's policies that ensured political stability
\nand sustained economic growth for 30 years.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto initiated a new fund raising campaign this
\nyear to help the poor which appealed to individuals and
\ncorporations, whose after-tax income exceeded Rp 100 million
\n($43,500) a year, to give 2 percent of their income to the fund.<\/p>\n
To his dismay, only half of the 11,000 people and corporations
\nearning that much had complied by early September.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said yesterday that 26 million people in Indonesia
\nstill lived in poverty.<\/p>\n
The government's IDT program, a scheme launched in 1994 to
\nsend financial aid packages to the poorest villages, failed to
\nreach some 11.5 million poor people who live in villages and
\ncities not covered by the program, he said. It is for these 11.5
\nmillion people that the fund raising campaign is intended.<\/p>\n
The President said that five million children from poor
\nfamilies needed help with their schooling. He urged wealthy
\nIndonesians to join the National Foster Parents Movement.<\/p>\n
Without their assistance the children may not be able to
\ncontinue their schooling, he said.<\/p>\n
On youths, President Soeharto acknowledged that young people
\nneeded effective ways to channel their potential and energy
\nproductively.<\/p>\n
\"One of the reasons for growing delinquency, brawling and drug
\nabuse by youths is the shortage of appropriate forums to channel
\ntheir potential,\" he said. Part of the problem is that young
\npeople today have ample spare time, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Karang Taruna could be the forum through which young people
\nchannel and develop their talents, interests and hobbies,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The organization could also be used to guide young people,
\nespecially in villages, to stay away from behavior that is
\ndetrimental to themselves and others, he added. (emb)<\/p>",
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