Businessmen told to pay alms

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja lamented businessmen's low awareness of paying alms saying only 15 of 350 businessmen registered with Bazis, the board which oversees Islamic alms collection, had made donations.

"Businessmen should increase their donations to help," Surjadi said after meeting the 15 businessmen at the City Hall Wednesday.

Chairman of the board Somad Muin said business people were reluctant to donate their money to Bazis because they were not sure about its management.

But Surjadi said all funds Bazis collected went to charity groups.

"Fifty percent of the funds collected are given to the poor, 45 percent to people who work for Moslem causes and the rest to new Moslem converts," Surjadi said.

Tycoon Sudwikatmono, who attended the meeting, said businessmen should set a good example "but information about this (alms) is not wellspread".

Until Dec. 10 last year the board had collected Rp 4.73 billion (US$2 million) from Moslem philanthropists, while until Dec. 26 the board had donated Rp 1.19 billion to more than 360 mosques, 461 women's prayer groups and 230 foundations and other educational organizations. (ste)