Habibie gives thumbs down to proposed lottery

Habibie gives thumbs down to proposed lottery

JAKARTA (JP): The controversy surrounding a planned fund-
raising scheme for sports deepened yesterday when President B.J.
Habibie indicated he disapproved of the proposal.

Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus said after a cabinet
meeting on politics and security that the President said he would
prefer the National Sports Council to resolve its financial
crisis by means other than introducing a lottery.

Yunus said the government would assist the council but gave no
details of the help it might give. He also called for an end to
the public debate on the lottery while its feasibility was still
being assessed.

"This is a concept which is being studied by the Ministry of
Social Services. In doing so, the ministry consults other
institutions, including the House of Representatives, the
Indonesian Consumers Foundation and the Office of the State
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports," Yunus said.

State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono told
the cabinet meeting about the polemic which has centered on fears
that the lottery will encourage people to gamble.

The new fund-raising scheme was proposed by the sports council
to finance its long-term project to see Indonesia among the top
six sporting powers in Asia in 2006. The council has cried foul
about financial shortfalls ever since the government stopped the
SDSB national lottery in 1994.

The organizers predict the council will earn Rp 30 billion
(US$2.3 million) annually from the Rp 100 billion raised from
coupon sales to finance sports development.

The coupons, which will cost Rp 5,000, will also be redeemable
for tickets for sports events for one year. It is not yet clear
how people will be able to exchange their coupons for tickets.

To attract buyers, organizers of the program will allocate 50
percent of the money collected to provide prizes. Buyers will win
prizes if they reveal at least three identical sports logos
revealed when they scratch off a panel on the coupon.

Religious figures, including deputy chairman of the Indonesian
Ulemas Council Ali Yafie and the chairman of the East Java
chapter of the Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization, Imron Hamzah,
said the incentives could tempt people to gamble.

Yunus said the cabinet yesterday did not find any reasons to
take the worries about gambling seriously.

"There are no numbers contained on the coupons, so it is
unlikely that people will gamble to buy them," said Yunus.

Support loomed large yesterday for the fund-raising program,
particularly from sports figures.

Outgoing chairman of the Indonesian Archery Association,
Oetojo Oesman, agreed to the proposal because it was difficult to
rely on donors or sponsors to finance sports activities amid the
current financial crisis.

"We need about Rp 70 million (US$5,020) each month to groom
our athletes. We once received sponsorship from Bank Danamon, but
it lasted only for two months due to the economic crisis," said
Oetojo, also a former minister of justice.

House of Representatives legislator Zarkasih Nur said a Moslem
edict on gambling was not necessary for the proposal.

Zarkasih, who chairs House commission VII on religion,
education, culture, youth affairs and sports, said the House's
opinion was sufficient to decide whether the fund-raising program
would tempt people to gamble. (yan/prb)