Buddhist foundation donates rice

JAKARTA (JP): Amurvabhumi Buddhist Monastery Foundation has donated seven tons of rice to some 4,000 poor families residing near its head office in Karet subdistrict, Setiabudi, South Jakarta.

A statement on Wednesday from the foundation said that the aid distributed to the local people two days earlier was collected from local Buddhist followers.

"It's handed out in regards with the coming of the year 2000," it said.

The chairman of the foundation, Hendako Soedjito, said that the annual activity has been carried out for years by the congregation at the 80-year-old monastery, which used to be called Hok Tek Tjeng Sin or, literally, Luck of Earth.

The distribution of the rice at the Karet Kuningan subdistrict administration office was also witnessed by local authorities, including the head of Setiabudi district Dadang Dasuki, local police subprecinct chief Maj. Sutikno and senior resident El. Mahdi Arif. (bsr)