Desperate Mercantile Club

Despite protests, the Mercantile Club of Jakarta, located on the 18th Floor of Wisma BCA building and managed by Hong Kong- based CCA International, has decided, starting from Jan. 1, 2002, to impose a minimum food-and-beverage charge of Rp 350,000 per month for life members, who are not to pay any monthly dues by agreement and as stated in its bylaws, according to Article 8 on life members and Article 10 on monthly dues.

Yet, its club manager, Urs Wuthrich, says in his letter dated Dec. 19, 2001 that it is not contrary to the bylaws and its chairman, Suryadi Soedirdja, and some of the Board Of Governors (BOG), have either been informed or consulted.

Outrageously, this seemingly desperate Mercantile Club has interpreted that it can impose a minimum food-and-beverage charge because it has not mentioned it in its bylaws.

It is not that the monthly Rp 350,000 matters but that the club has lost its sense of right and wrong, good and bad. And instead of improving the club and analyzing why people are now willing to go elsewhere and be waitlisted for between 30 minutes and one hour at such restaurants as Crystal Jade, Ebeya Steak House (charging Rp 1 million per person), Sumire at Grand Hyatt, which has also just opened a new restaurant named C, stocked with 3,000 bottles of wine, the club has "improvised" to penalize its own life members for its own shortcomings.

Regrettably and disgracefully, this is also the club where the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, who both call for good corporate governance in Indonesia, have held business luncheons. Its roster of BOG and honorary advisors also include the former and present who's who in Indonesia, including present ministers.

I would request the chairman, BOG and its honorary advisors to look into this matter and revoke the arbitrary and unilateral decision imposed by the club.

SIA KA-MOU

Jakarta