Extended sale of stickers to go ahead

Extended sale of stickers to go ahead

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso gave his support yesterday to
the central government's decision to extend the sale of SEA Games
stickers until Dec. 31.

"As the central government has decided to extend the sale, we
will follow that decision," the governor said.

Sutiyoso said he had not decided whether to issue a new decree
on the extension of sales because he had not paid much attention
to the government's ruling.

"It should be carefully studied because it relates to the
public's money," he said in response to questions about the
controversial sale of SEA Games stickers which sparked a public
outcry in the lead up to the event.

Based on Ministerial Decree No.163/HUK-SS/1997, the sale of
stickers will be extended until Dec. 31, even though the event
ended on Oct. 19.

The sale of stickers was aimed at collecting funds for the
Games and it was supposed to be voluntary but, in fact, it forced
everyone to participate.

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation has urged people to
boycott the Games stickers, with funds collected through the
payment of monthly telephone, water and electricity bills.

The call was provoked by the Games consortium's failure to
issue transparent reports on its budgeting.

The consortium originally expected to raise Rp 35 billion
(about US$10 million) from the fund-raising sale to help meet the
Rp 105 billion budget needed to stage the Games and finance the
national training program.

City councilors expressed their dissatisfaction yesterday with
the extension of sticker sales.

Councilor Lukman Mokoginta of Commission D for development
affairs said the SEA Games consortium should make public its
financial reports for total revenue from the stickers.

"They must be able to give complete reports on the revenue.
How much did the Games cost? Is there any profit or loss? This
matter must be cleared up first," he said.

Councilor Rusdi Hamka voiced similar concerns.

"Our people are fed up with this kind of treatment. Don't
burden them with levies anymore," he said.

"Moreover, as the committee for the SEA Games has not given
its official report on the public's money, they are just asking
'where did the money go?'"

The two councilors urged the municipality to be more
courageous and reject the sale extension.

"The governor must be wise about this matter," Rusdi said.
"Don't burden the people anymore." (07/05)