SEA Games stickers don't burden public: Wismoyo

SEA Games stickers don't burden public: Wismoyo

JAKARTA (JP): The 19th SEA Games are only five months away but
fund-raising is still inviting controversy.

The National Sports Council and the games consortium urged the
public not to complain about the additional fees added on top of
their electricity, water, telephone and other bills.

"We give opportunities to the caring public who have enough
money to contribute in sponsoring the games. It's an honor for
them to have this opportunity," council chairman Wismoyo
Arismunandar told a press conference yesterday.

The government has issued Presidential Decree number 5/1996
which appointed the consortium, chaired by President Soeharto's
son Bambang Trihatmodjo, to raise funds to help finance the
biennial regional event, slated for Oct. 11 to Oct. 19.

Wismoyo questioned the validity of the complaints.

"The Minister for Social Services will not issue a decree if
fund-raising makes a burden on society," Wismoyo said
emotionally.

"You (the journalists) start interfering in our business like
this. You, who don't pay telephone bills, are complaining even
though you don't own telephones," he said.

"This is a matter of people who have a conscience and
available money. Payment for the fees should be voluntary. If you
keep doing this to us, no private sector will want to cooperate
with the council," he added.

Ministerial decree number BSS/826/III/97, which was issued by
the Ministry of Social Services on March 11, 1997, stated that
the consortium was allowed to raise funds from the public by
selling 17,750,000 stickers.

Sixteen million of the stickers are sold for Rp 1,000 (US$41.7
cents) each, 300,000 stickers are sold for Rp 2,500 each, 700,000
stickers are sold for Rp 5,000 each, 400,000 stickers are sold
for Rp 10,000 each, 50,000 stickers are sold for Rp 25,000 each
and 300,000 stickers are sold for Rp 50,000 each.

The consortium hopes to raise Rp 40 billion (US$16.7 million)
from the sticker sales. The amount would be reduced by Rp 5
billion for operational costs, including security ribbons on the
stickers.

The ministerial decree mentioned targets of the sticker sales
included customers of state-owned electricity company PLN who had
more than 900 watts, state-owned water company PAM customers,
state-owned telecommunications company Telkom customers, drivers
or car owners who wanted to renew or ask for drivers' licenses,
and vehicle registration documents.

Hotels, restaurants, recreational parks and airports in 27
provinces have also charged their customers for the stickers.

No income

Enggartiasto Lukita, a member of the consortium, said that the
consortium expects to raise about Rp 4 to 5 billion each month
from electricity users alone.

"The number of electricity customers is nearly 3.8 million,"
he said.

Enggartiasto said that the consortium has yet to receive any
money from the sticker sales, which is distributed by PT Angkasa
Rona Graha.

"We haven't received a single cent from the sticker sales," he
said.

Ninety percent of the funds is used to finance the games while
the other 10 percent is for administration costs in raising the
funds.

"Stickers sales are only a part of our efforts in raising
funds. Benefits from the sales cannot finance the entire budget
plan," he said.

The games budget is estimated to be Rp 101 billion, including
Rp 35 billion to finance preparations for national athletes. The
amount excludes the athletes village construction budget.

Enggartiasto said the consortium has three months to raise the
funds and the decree could also be extended.

He emphasized that being a member of the consortium is not a
stage for businesspeople to benefit from the events.

"This is not a place where we can seek to profit, but it's
part of a conscious effort to make this event successful. This is
a commitment by the entire games consortium. What we've attempted
so far is much higher than this," he said.

He also said official sponsors -- National Panasonic, Tiger
Beer, Konica, Aqua and Nikon -- and official suppliers have only
committed Rp 10 billion from the consortium's prediction of Rp 20
billion. (yan)