PON donations no longer required

JAKARTA (JP): The 14th National Games Organizing Committee announced yesterday that as from midnight on Sept. 20, donations will no longer be collected from the public.

H. Soenarjudardji, the committee official in charge of fund- raising, said that the organizer has collected Rp 28.5 billion (US$12 million) in donations.

Jakarta citizens complained about the fund-raising because they were made to donate set amounts when entering theaters, certain parking lots and gas stations. The electricity and water companies also collected compulsory donations from bill payers. (yan)