KONI still hoping for govt approval of Damura

KONI still hoping for govt approval of Damura

JAKARTA (JP): Despite controversy involving gambling, and the
strict conditions applied by the office of the state minister of
social affairs and the National Social Welfare Agency (BKSN), the
National Sports Council (KONI) still hopes that the government
will approve the fund-raising program called Damura (the People's
fund for Sports).

KONI secretary-general Rudolf S. Warouw said KONI and PT
Mutiara Mandala Mahardhika (3M) had agreed to the demands made by
BKSN chairman Anak Agung Gde Agung.

"I think we can fulfill the BKSN's demand. Once we have made
improvements to the scheme it will be up to the government to
approve it. If he give us time to make the necessary changes I
think there's still hope for Damura to continue," he said on
Wednesday.

Anak Agung said that his office gave PT 3M two weeks to
fulfill the 12 conditions. He added that he would withhold
approval should the company fail to fulfill those conditions.

Warouw said there was a misunderstanding with BKSN and PT 3M
over the fund-raising scheme. He cited as an example one of
BKSN's requirements to extend Damura's ticket use for the
watching of sporting events.

"The requirement is similar to the old concept of Ticket
Peduli Olahraga's (Sports Awareness Campaign) fund-raising
scheme. With the new concept, the ticket can't be used to watch
sports events. We have a misunderstanding. We need to find more
effective ways of communicating," he said.

Warouw, who met with PT 3M officials on Monday evening,
contradicted reports that PT 3M would sue BKSN should it fail to
approve the program.

"We are not thinking about taking anybody to court. I did not
ask Bu Mutia Farida (General Manager of PT 3M) about it. We are
talking about sportsmanship, so let's think in a more positive
way. I wonder if Bu Mutia really said such a thing."

He said that KONI was still considering another other fund-
raising program besides Damura.

"We have been studying Damura for three years. We are looking
at around 60 alternatives. Damura should go on because next year
we have many sports events. We won't have much time to approve
another program now."

Damura has sparked controversy since it was announced early
last February. Many sports officials consider the program an
ineffective way to raise funds for sports development because
only 6.5 percent of its total income has been earmarked for
athletics.

Others believe that Damura encourages gambling.

If PT 3M finally decides to lower the total percentage of
prize money from 50 percent to 40 percent and give the 10 percent
percentage to KONI, the council would receive 16.5 percent to
support sports development.

Each Damura ticket consists of two parts. The first is a
scratch and win card, offering people the chance to win between
Rp 5,000 and Rp 25 million. The second part is a one-month life
insurance policy which the holder or his or her estate can claim
Rp 2.5 million should he or she suffer a permanent disability or
dies.

Warouw also said that the council and PT 3M would explain to
Anak Agung why they wouldn't print the scratch cards at state
money printing company PT Peruri.

"Peruri's printing technology is less sophisticated. So we
decided to have the card made overseas," he said. (ivy)