Balisani clarifies

Balisani clarifies

JAKARTA (JP): Club Balisani, which is managed by PT Balisani
Sentrawisata, denies having forced anybody to become members.

Vivian Maulani Widjaja, Club Balisani's member service
manager, said on Saturday that membership deals were reached
between the club and its members upon the members' approval.

The statement referred to a lawsuit filed by Arthur J. Manapa
with the city police on Friday.

Vivian acknowledged that Arthur became a club member on April
4, 1995. "His being our club member was decided by himself after
a thorough discussion with us," she said.

The membership fee was, according to the deal, a purchase and
not an investment and this had been told to him before the
signing, she added.

Membership cancellation is allowed, according to the
prospectus given to Arthur, within 24 hours after a contract is
signed, with a US$500 cancellation fee. "This is Interval
International's policy which is applied in 78 countries in the
world, not Balisani's," she said. A member who cancels their
membership more than 24 hours after the deal is signed will not
be reimbursed, she said.

"However, Balisani usually offers an alternative. Those who
want to cancel membership are allowed to sell or rent the
membership through Balisani," she said.

J. Arthur, an employee of the state secretary office, has file
a lawsuit against PT Balisani Sentrawisata for fraud.

He said that he had been cheated by the tour company of Rp
10.6 million, a down payment for the Rp 14 million membership
fee.

He changed his mind after handing over Rp 10.6 million and
requested a refund. The company refused, saying that the
membership fee could not be returned as stipulated in the deal.
(sur)