Public urged to reject SEA Games stickers

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)