Soeharto asks rich to care for the poor

Soeharto asks rich to care for the poor

YOGYAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto yesterday urged the wealthier members of society to show that they really care for the less fortunate by helping.

"The concern that the better off members have expressed should be translated into concrete measures such as creating job opportunities, extending scholarships for the children of poor families, and organizing vocational courses," Soeharto said.

The President made a one-day visit yesterday to lead the ceremony to present awards for communities with the best record in administering the government's special aid packages for backward villages.

Under the program, known by its Indonesian acronym IDT, each community receives Rp 20 million ($8,700) a year in seed capital which it manages at its own disgression.

More than 20,000 villages in Indonesia are covered by the program which was launched in April 1994. The program has won international praises as it encourages the poor to use their own initiative in improving their lot and thereby goes directly to the root of poverty.

A total of 283 communities, including 12 in Yogyakarta, were selected for yesterday's award.

Soeharto more specifically challenged the business community to move to the front line in supporting the IDT program. He also asked grassroots organizations to give their support.

Later on during a dialog with representatives of the IDT recipient communities, Soeharto said he could raise Rp 250 billion a year from the business community to finance the IDT program, Antara reported.

He calculated that the country's top corporate and individual taxpayers still made off with Rp 12.5 trillion ($5.4 billion) after paying their taxes in 1994.

"If we ask them to set aside just two percent of this, then we'll get Rp 250 billion," he said.

The President did not say if and when he intend to go ahead with this fund raising program. (har/emb)