City gives Red Cross Rp 30b

JAKARTA: The city administration handed over Rp 30 billion (US$3.53 million) to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Jakarta chapter on Monday to renovate the chapter's office building and procure blood transfusion equipment.

PMI Jakarta chapter chairwoman Uga Wiranto, wife of one of the Golkar presidential candidates Wiranto, said that it was the biggest donation the administration had ever dispersed.

The chapter received Rp 2 billion last year, almost 10 times the city's Rp 195 million donation in 2001. Before that, the administration handed over less than Rp 100 million.

The administration has allocated a total of Rp 300 billion from its city budget, with the approval of the City Council, to help institutions which are not under the administration's control. -- JP