Family planning board seeks funds from Soeharto foundation
Family planning board seeks funds from Soeharto foundation
JAKARTA (JP): The government is seeking to claim billions of
rupiah of funds earmarked for National Family Planning Board
(BKKBN) field workers by a New Order foundation.
BKKBN chief Khofifah Indar Parawansa said on Tuesday the
workers deserved three percent of the credit venture's interest
raised by the former president Soeharto-sanctioned Dana Sejahtera
Mandiri Foundation.
"It is clearly stipulated in the memorandum of agreement,
which was signed in 1996, that the foundation should donate half
of the six percent interest imposed on its customers to the field
workers. But so far the foundation has not fulfilled its
obligation," Khofifah said.
She said she did not know precisely how much the foundation
owed to the workers, but a provincial BKKBN official told her his
office should have accumulated Rp 1 billion.
The foundation has helped the government raise funds for the
credit venture and distribute it, based on two presidential
decrees which require individuals and companies with annual after
tax earnings of more than Rp 100 million to donate up to two
percent to the foundation.
It was reported last year that the foundation had collected Rp
1.5 trillion since its inception.
In 1998 Soeharto and his son Bambang Trihatmodjo, who was the
foundation's treasurer, were questioned at the Attorney General's
Office for alleged misuse of the funds.
Last year, Soeharto's successor B.J. Habibie issued a decree
to withdraw the foundation's funds.
BKKBN's chief of research and development Pudjo Rahardjo said
the board had warned the foundation three times since last year,
only to receive no reply.
"Maybe we will have to seek legal action if the foundation
keeps ignoring our demand," he added.
He admitted that the 1996 agreement did not set a time frame
for the foundation to pay the funds to the family planning board.
The agreement will expire in 2001.
Khofifah said she was committed to claiming the money. "We
understand the importance of the field workers and the funds are
their right. We, therefore, will demand the foundation pay it as
soon as possible," she said.
Khofifah also said the board would enhance the participation
of the male population in the family planning program.
"Men make up only 4.6 percent of around 27 million family
planning participants. They should be reminded that it is the
responsibility of married couples to achieve a small and
prosperous family," she said.
In the time being, the board would increase the promotion of
condoms as a family planning contraceptive device, Pudjo added.
(04)