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