Governor to ask residents to use money to help poor

Governor to ask residents to use money to help poor

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will soon launch a major
fund-raising program to help poor residents severely affected by
the monetary crisis, Governor Sutiyoso said on Monday.

Sutiyoso told reporters that under the program he would ask
Jakartans, especially wealthy businesspeople, to deposit some of
their money in a bank chosen by would-be depositors and the city
administration.

The money would belong wholly to the businesspeople, he said,
adding that funds given to the needy would come from the bank
interest.

"I feel that it's time now to provide financial support to the
poor people. And I know this idea will cause pros and cons among
the public due to the economic hardship. But as a leader, I can
not just sit still and watch people (suffer)," he said.

Sutiyoso, however, did not give details on the date for the
launching of the program or its duration. He said he would invite
some businesspeople to dinner and suggest they participate in the
program. He would also make a list of poor people who desperately
needed financial support.

The donations would be intended to help families who can no
longer afford to buy food, get medical supplies or send their
children to school, he said.

Sutiyoso expressed confidence that there were many Jakartans
who could afford to set aside some of their money, despite the
prolonged crisis, to help the needy.

"This effort is voluntary. I will not force them to
participate," he said, adding that he expected each wealthy
person to deposit between Rp 50 million and Rp 100 million.

Sutiyoso said that he and his high-ranking officials,
including his deputies and mayors, would be involved in the
program.

He invited non-governmental organizations and journalists to
supervise the distribution of the money.

State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin said on
Sunday that the number of families facing food shortages
nationwide had jumped to 17.1 million, some 7.3 million of which
could afford only one meal a day.

The other 9.7 million families were considered to be able to
eat twice daily, but this ability was declining fast, he said.

In Greater Jakarta alone, Saefuddin said that areas
particularly vulnerable to food crisis and social unrest included
North and West Jakarta mayoralties, Tangerang and Bekasi. (ivy)