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)