Funding without filching

Funding without filching

From Jayakarta

The Southeast Asian Games will be held in October. Huge funding is required but contributions by the state budget, conglomerates' sponsorships and a consortium's fund-raising drive are insufficient. This is why additional funds should be collected from sales of SEA Games stickers.

This is the easiest way of raising funds, but it is wide open to potential mismanagement of funds. We experienced previously malfeasance in fund-raising for the National Games, and the same thing could happen for the SEA Games.

What is clear is the stickers were distributed and sold even before the official order was issued. A Rp 1000 contribution is added to electricity and telephone bills, yet no stickers are given to the customers. The distribution period has been officially stopped, but some agencies continue selling the stickers. It is common for some parties to take advantage of any opportunity to collect money from the people, even when there is no legal basis for doing so.

A person is supposedly not obligated to buy the sticker; but in practice one has no choice. This reality is blatantly contradictory to the vigorous statements made during the recent campaign that political parties would defend the interests of the public.

It is truly frustrating that supervision is too weak and that there is collusion. In this case, neither angels or satans are able to conduct supervision. Aren't there alternative fund- raising activities which don't inflict losses on the general public?

MOELJONO

Jakarta