Sutiyoso keeps donors' aid for flood victims: Deputy<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The reluctance on the part of many people to make donations
\nthrough formal channels like the city administration is
\nunderstandable given the sluggishness of these channels in
\ndistributing the aid.<\/p>\n
An official said on Friday the city administration had not
\ndistributed some Rp 3.3 billion (US$347,000) collected late in
\nFebruary from businesspeople during a charity event held in Ancol
\nto raise money for flood victims.<\/p>\n
\"The money is being kept by Governor Sutiyoso in some bank
\naccount,\" said the deputy governor for people's welfare,
\nDjaelani.<\/p>\n
He said the funds could not be distributed to the victims
\nbecause the administration was waiting for an additional Rp 700
\nmillion that was promised by donors during the charity night. Of
\nthis amount, Rp 600 million was promised by Team Care, a charity
\ngroup organized by high-ranking officials in the city
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
\"We are still waiting for the (promised) funds,\" said
\nDjaelani.<\/p>\n
Djaelani said the money would be used to help the flood
\nvictims, particularly in the area of education. However, he said
\nhe was not sure of the details of how exactly the money would be
\nspent, adding that the city administration would discuss this at
\na later time.<\/p>\n
According to Djaelani, there is no rush to deliver the money
\nbecause the flood victims have received money for their education
\nneeds from various non-governmental organizations, as well as
\nfrom the city administration through the social affairs agency.<\/p>\n
\"Actually, in the education sector most of the problems have
\nbeen solved as many organizations have distributed education aid,
\nand the city's social affairs agency has also distributed some
\n130,000 packages of school items,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also said the administration already had distributed some
\nRp 2 billion in aid collected from individuals and organizations.<\/p>\n
He said the money was used to purchase various goods needed by
\nflood victims, such as school uniforms, books, pencils, pens and
\nhousehold items like kerosene lamps.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Wicahyono, an official at SMU 8 high school, whose
\nschool was inundated for weeks in January and February, said his
\nschool was still badly in need of aid.<\/p>\n
\"We have not finished repainting the classroom walls. So if
\nfunds are available, it would help us,\" said Wicahyono.<\/p>\n
The massive floods that hit the capital in January and
\nFebruary affected over 350,000 people. Hundreds of schools were
\nclosed, either because they were inundated with water or were
\nused as temporary shelters for flood victims.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sutiyoso-keeps-donors-aid-for-flood-victims-deputy-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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