Police to sell Red Cross stickers

JAKARTA (JP): The city branch of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) made a correction yesterday to its earlier statement that it hadn't approved a fund-raising collection through sticker sales at police stations.

Branch deputy chairman Kristianto Budiono said: "I was wrong when giving the remarks about the order. I apologize to the City Police and the reporters. I forgot that actually PMI asked the City Police to sell the stickers to people extending their vehicle documents or applying for driver's licenses," he said.

The City Police decided on Friday to cancel the sales to avoid further debate. City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said it was PMI itself which requested the sticker sales last month.

The debate over the sticker sales emerged after customers complained publicly about the imposition of the collection which was begun without any notification.

Kristianto said that the sale constituted a routine PMI fund- raising activity.

"We originally planned to carry out the collection in October and November last year. But the plan was postponed as people were burdened by the SEA Games sticker sales until February.

"PMI depends heavily on public donations for survival, so we are proceeding with the collection this year."

He said the money raised would be used for operational costs and to pay the salaries of PMI staff.

Aritonang said yesterday that the police did not charge the people for the stickers when they were extending the terms of their driver's licenses or their vehicle ownership documents or arranging new ones.

"We do not force people to buy the stickers. We enquire whether they want to buy one," he said.

People who have four-wheeled vehicles are offered stickers worth Rp 2,500 (31 U.S. cents) each while those who own two- wheeled vehicles are invited to buy Rp 1,000-stickers. (ivy)