Minister calls for Damura to be delayed

Minister calls for Damura to be delayed

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Social Affairs Anak Agung Gde
Agung urged the National Sports Council (KONI) and PT Mutiara
Mandala Mahardhika (PT 3M) to delay their plan to launch the fund
raising program Damura (the People's Fund for Sports).

Anak Agung told a media briefing on Tuesday that his office
was still waiting for three things: PT 3M's final report on the
program, an edict by Indonesia Ulemas Council (MUI) on whether
Damura could encourage gambling and the House of Representatives
decision on the program.

"We still need to reconsider all aspects of Damura before
making a decision. We need to give a chance to PT 3M to clarify
some matters in the next few days. After that, we will contact
the MUI and the House to discuss the matter," he said.

Anak Agung met KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, KONI
official in charge of media and promotion Enny Hardjanto,
Indonesian Consumers Agency (YLKI) officials Agus Pambagio and
Tulus Abadi, PT 3M's general manager Mutia Farida and the
Atlanta-based printing company Scientific Games International
(SGI) regional director and international sales executive, Kevin
Delehant.

Anak Agung regretted the absence of MUI officials at the
meeting.

"We sent them an invitation and they had confirmed their
attendance but they never showed up. I think we will have to
stage another meeting in the near future to hear MUI's edict on
Damura," he said.

Anak Agung disputed PT 3M's statement saying that the company
had received an edict from MUI.

"They have only received guidelines on how to raise funds and
to popularize the program. They have yet to receive any edict."

On the contrary, Tulus said PT 3M had received an edict from
MUI saying Damura did not encourage gambling.

"PT 3M received the edict in a letter signed by Ibrahim
Hussein, chairman of MUI's edict commission. MUI has approved the
program. Unfortunately, none of its officials attended today's
meeting. I really regret that because the meeting was incomplete
without MUI," he said.

"The YLKI will only supervise the way the fund raising program
is applied in society."

Anak Agung suggested that PT 3M reduce the percentage of prize
money, which is planned to account for 50 percent of the total
revenues from the scheme, and distribute more to sports.

"If Damura tickets are sold in aid of sports, the largest
percentage must go to sports development. With a 1-in-5 ratio of
winning, the chances of winning are too great. Maybe they (PT 3M)
can reduce them to 1 in 10," he said.

PT 3M said early this month that the Damura scheme would offer
people the chance to win total prize money of Rp 25 billion, in
amounts ranging between Rp 5,000 and Rp 25 million.

"We recommend PT 3M reduce the highest prize money from Rp 25
million to only Rp 15 million. The rest of the proposed prize
money budget should go to KONI," Anak Agung said.

Tulus from the consumers agency noted the difference in the
amount of prize money proposed by PT 3M -- Rp 25 million -- and
that decreed by the now defunct ministry of social services
September 1999 -- Rp 10 million.

"The proposal and the decree must be rechecked. Fund raising
operators must follow the decree."

Both Anak Agung and Tulus hoped the fund raising program would
not "touch" the working classes.

"PT 3M's polling reports that middle and upper-class people
are potential Damura ticket buyers. We really hope that the
tickets won't reach working-class society. However, I see that
the data (on this) is not very accurate," Tulus said.

"I'm really concerned about Damura and I hope it will not
encourage working-class people to buy the tickets just to win the
prizes. If this happens, they will become the donors for sports
development," Anak Agung said.

The minister also said that his office would set up a special
team to monthly monitor all fund raising programs, including
Damura.

"We will have external and internal auditing to check on the
programs' applications. We want to create a good image of our
office." (yan)