PT ARG declines to comment on sticker sales deal
PT ARG declines to comment on sticker sales deal
JAKARTA (JP): PT Angkasa Rona Graha (ARG), which was appointed
to raise funds for last year's 19th SEA Games through the sale of
stickers, declined to comment on its extended contract to raise
funds until April 30, 1998.
A PT ARG official, Bimmy Indrawan Tjahja, was appointed by the
consortium's executive director Bambang Yoga Soegama in a letter
dated Oct. 13, 1997 to distribute stickers to state-owned
companies PT PLN, PT Telkom, the Ministry of Transportation and
provincial revenue agencies from July 1, 1997 to April 30, 1998.
But a minister of social services' instruction states the
fund-raising must end on Dec. 31, 1997.
Bimmy, who declined to meet with journalists, said yesterday
that reporters could only get information from consortium
official Erwan Soekardja.
"I was only assigned to audit the revenue in the consortium's
bank account," he said by telephone.
Separately, the Ministry of Tourism, Post and
Telecommunications inspector general, Djoko Pramono, said PT
Telkom had submitted Rp 5.37 billion (US$565,264) to PT ARG on
Nov. 31.
"PT Telkom raised funds from December but has yet to submit
them to the consortium," he said.
The Indonesian Consumers Foundation's vice chairman, Agus
Pambagio, urged the public Monday to support its efforts to sue
the consortium for its shortcomings in sticker sales.
"We're still working on what kind of charge is perfect for the
consortium if it is proven guilty of breaking the law," Agus
said.
The foundation has announced that the public could help by
informing it of any inconsistencies in sticker sales.
"We have also contacted some lawyers, including Abdul Hakim
Garuda Nusantara and lawyers from the Legal Aid Institute," Agus
said.
The foundation has been investigating the activities related
to fund-raising by PT PLN, PT Telkom, the Ministry of
Transportation, provincial revenue agencies and PT ARG.
The consortium said PT ARG had only paid it Rp 18.75 billion
from three months of sticker sales. But it suffered a Rp 68.1
billion loss, raising Rp 87.9 billion against outgoing costs of
Rp 156 billion.
The consortium complained that proceeds from sticker sales in
nightspots had not been transferred to its account and that many
fake stickers had been sold to the public.
Agus said the foundation had been against fund-raising through
sticker sales because the public felt cheated by the same type of
fund-raising for the 1996 National Games.
The Games organizers' competition deputy, Muhammad Hindarto,
said the consortium had not paid debts incurred from buying
sports equipment and paying allowances.
Hindarto said he had to borrow money from a Singaporean friend
to buy hockey balls worth S$3,840 (US$2,211).
The organizers also had to pay Rp 288 million for doping tests
and gender verification tests, Rp 90 million to print competition
forms and Rp 168 million for foreign referees airline tickets and
allowances.
Hindarto, who is also the National Sports Council's athletes
development deputy, said sports organizations must start grooming
their athletes in June for the 1999 SEA Games in Brunei
Darussalam.
"After the Asian Games in Bangkok in December, we can start
grooming the athletes from March to May to compete in the 20-
sports biennial event," he said. (yan)