SEA Games consortium to report to government on stickers

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman said yesterday the consortium appointed to raise funds for last year's 19th SEA Games would present an audited report on its fund-raising through sticker sales to the government and the people in March or April.

"The consortium's report will be as transparent as possible and it will be represented to the government and announced to the people in March or early April at the latest," Hayono said after meeting President Soeharto.

Hayono said his office was still waiting for the December report from the consortium. "The consortium did its best to finalize the report, although it is facing a number of obstacles."

The minister also reported that sticker sales had stopped on Dec. 31 last year. The SEA Games were held in October last year.

Four institutions were named by the consortium to sell the stickers: the ministries of transportation and tourism, post and telecommunications; state-owned electricity company PLN; and the city revenue office.

The purchase of stickers was compulsory upon payment of telephone bills, including cellular phone users, water bills, electricity bills, air tickets and renewals of driver's licenses.

"The outstanding funds from sticker sales are from mobile phone bills, particularly in December. The bills are normally paid either in January or February. We stopped sticker sales on December 31 so consumers no longer have to pay extra on their mobile phone bills," Hayono said.

The cost of the SEA Games was Rp 156 billion. The consortium covered all costs.

Soeharto told the minister the consortium's report must be transparent and that the consortium must demonstrate its responsibility.

Hayono asked people to be patient in waiting for the consortium's report as it was still being audited by a public accountant.

"We will certainly announce the outcome of the report to the people and we only ask people to be patient as it is still being audited," Hayono said.

Hayono also said he had not discussed with the President reports of collusion between referees and soccer clubs participating in the fourth Indonesian league tournament.

He said the conflict could be settled by the All Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI). PSSI is still investigating the case.

The PSSI recently formed an investigative team to look into the reports of collusion. The team is headed by Adang Ruchtiana.

"One way to solve the collusion is for PSSI to pay all league tournament costs for referees in the regions. The problem is that PSSI does not have sufficient funds," Hayono said. (lnt/prb)