Public urged to reject SEA Games stickers

JAKARTA (JP): The public should reject the collection of fees for the 19th Southeast Asian Games stickers at City Police Headquarters for the issuance of new or extended vehicle tax documents, a deputy governor and police officer said.

The city had limited sticker fund collections for various services until May 26. Continued collection of these funds "was against rules", Deputy Governor of Social Welfare R.S. Museno said yesterday.

Separately the city's coordinator for vehicle ownership documents, Manahan P.S., also said all collections for the services had been stopped on Wednesday through a circulated notice from his office.

"If people still find the SEA Games fees on tax documents (attached to new or extended vehicle tax documents), it only means we haven't been able to fix the computer codes," he said.

"Please report any further collection of sticker payments to us," he said.

Manahan and Museno were responding to complaints by people who still had to pay for stickers when extending or receiving new vehicle documents -- Rp 2,500 (US$1.02) for motorcycles and Rp 5,000 for cars.

The Pos Kota daily quoted yesterday a policeman who confirmed the payments were for SEA Games stickers, when a person extending a vehicle ownership document asked about the fee.

Museno said the city was not going to extend the sticker fund collection for the Rp 105 billion event, saying that the generated Rp 1.36 billion was enough for Jakartans' contributions.

The city initially targeted Rp 10 billion for the event, scheduled for Oct. 11 to Oct. 19.

Museno said the city would still support the Games, for instance by providing air conditioners for venues which lacked air-conditioning.

He said the city's revenue agency was to "pay back" all payments for stickers beyond May 26 to the public, but did not elaborate how this should be done.

Yesterday National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar blamed the press for the controversy around the sale of the stickers.

An uproar followed comments from people who said they felt the payments were imposed, while officials and representatives of the consortium, chaired by President Soeharto's son Bambang Trihatmodjo, said it was voluntary.

Wismoyo said, "I am very concerned of reports...which seem to say that SEA Games stickers burden the public."

"This is...not a provincial sports event...everybody should join in making it a success," he said.

"What is this country coming to if a mere contribution of Rp 1,000 is considered a burden?" Wismoyo said. "Hotel guests sometimes tip waiters up to Rp 20,000."

Only well-to-do people were asked to contribute, he said, such as electricity consumers of more than 900 watts.

However earlier reports said stickers were also asked of house owners with only 400 watts of power. (cst/anr)