Moslem coalition launches campaign to help the poor

JAKARTA (JP): A coalition of Moslem organizations launched a public service campaign yesterday to help alleviate people's suffering during the monetary crisis.

The drive, called the Komite Aksi Untuk Pelayanan Masyarakat (KAUM) or the Committee for the Public Service, was marked with a prayer led by mullahs from various organizations and closed with a fund raising event.

"The most urgent thing to do is help Indonesians suffering from the monetary crisis," said Ma'ruf Amien of the Syuriyah (law-making body) of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization in his address at the gathering held at the Sunda Kelapa Mosque in Central Jakarta.

Chairman of the Muhammadiyah Moslems organization Amien Rais, speaking on the same occasion, said settling the crisis needed people's participation.

"This is the worst monetary crisis that has ever happened in the country," Amien said. "It will take everybody's cooperation to settle the crisis."

The drive was initiated by the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) and other Moslem organizations including Muhammadiyah, Forum Ukhuwah Islamiyah, the Indonesian Council of Islamic Propagation, the Coordinating Agency for Indonesian Moslem Youths and the Coordinating Agency for Islamic Boarding Schools.

The event was attended by several Moslem leaders, including Hussein Umar of the Indonesian Council of Islamic Propagation, Ahmad Tirtosudiro and Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo of ICMI, and economist Sri Edi Swasono.

ICMI's secretary-general Adi Sasono said the committee would mobilize donated funds and basic commodities to the poor.

Adi said the committee had collected almost Rp 1 billion (US$76,923) during the first day of the two-day preliminary campaign, held at the Pondok Indah Mosque in South Jakarta Monday. (imn)