Fund facts
From Sinar Pagi
On Nov. 24, Sinar Pagi daily reported that at least Rp 100 billion of the sale of SEA Games stickers had evaporated. A provisional calculation has shown that sticker sales by various agencies netted Rp 194,828 billion. The recent SEA Games required funds of Rp 105 billion.
The government has extended the period for sticker sales until December, in consideration of the consortium acting as the executive committee, which still lacks funds.
Among the various agencies, PT Telkom has yielded at least Rp 42 billion. This figure has been arrived at by: the number of the company's customers, times the price of the stickers, times seven (the collection period lasts seven months).
PLN, the state electricity company, with 20 million subscribers, must have collected Rp 140 billion at least if the calculation is based on the lowest priced sticker, Rp 1,000.
Elsewhere, Rp 2,500 and Rp 5,000 stickers are sold to offices and businesses.
There are other sites compelled to sell stickers: recreation and amusement centers countrywide, land and sea transportation ticket offices, all city water companies countrywide, etc., etc.. The total amount must be staggering.
The question to ask now is what the financial justification of the revenues from stickers. It is all obscure.
There have been many deviations from the policy for sticker sales for sports events like the National Games (PON) and the SEA Games. It is no secret that there are people who derive profit from the policy. Those people hide behind the government policy.
However persistent the refusal of the community, even aided by the Indonesian Consumers Institute and supported by legislators, the policy has remained unshaken and valid.
The problem is that the people who are the object of the collection can do nothing about it. They cannot stop the collection; worse, they have apparently no possibility to know where the funds have gone. What an unbelievable situation!
I appeal to the government not to issue such policies in the future. If it desires to organize big sporting events, why not include the private sector? The organizing committee of the Olympic Games has chosen that way, why don't the committees for the SEA Games, the PON and the Asian Games do likewise?
If a big event can only be held by coercing the people through the sale of stickers (approved by the government), everybody could do that too. If you do not believe it, just make an announcement and people will flock to register.
In order to safeguard the name of the organizers, especially the consortium's, they should announce total funds collected and justify its expenditures. If it is true that Rp 100 billion has disappeared into thin air, as reported by Sinar Pagi, the community will be deeply disappointed. The impact will greatly affect Indonesian sports.
RATIH DEWI SUPRIYANTO
Medan, North Sumatra