Soeharto disagrees with shoe project
Soeharto disagrees with shoe project
JAKARTA (JP): A private shoe company's attempt to monopolize
sales to millions of students across the country met the
strongest possible opposition yesterday when President Soeharto
announced his dissatisfactions with the plan.
The President expressed his surprise that certain groups
wanted to force people, including the poor, to buy the expensive
shoes.
"The President completely disagrees with the plan,"
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas said after
meeting with Soeharto at his Jl. Cendana residence.
The Jakarta-based company, PT Aryo Nusa Pakarti, claimed that
it had the backing of the Ministry of Education and Culture and
that it planned to donate some of its profit from the project to
charity, including the Indonesian Foster Parents Movement (GN-
OTA), whose mission is to help send poor children to school.
The company, owned by President Soeharto's grandson Ari Sigit,
has reportedly launched the first stage of its scheme by selling
shoes directly to primary schools in East and West Java.
The so-called uniform shoes, bearing the logo OSIS and costing
Rp 21,000 (US$7.5) per pair, has sparked protests from parents
who felt they were obliged to buy the shoes.
"The price is too expensive, and they have also misused the
name of GN-OTA," Azwar quoted Soeharto as saying.
The chairwoman of the movement, Halimah Bambang Trihatmodjo
denied Monday that the movement had any connection with the plan.
"We give free shoes, uniforms and scholarships to poor
children ... and do not have any relationship with the company,"
said Halimah, who is also Soeharto's daughter-in law.
Amien Rais, the chairman of the Muhammadiyah Moslem
organization, calculated that if the plan went ahead, the company
stood to make trillions of rupiah in profit.
Azwar said he had ordered Minister of Education and Culture
Wardiman Djojonegoro to revoke the ministry's controversial
letter to the company.
Director-General of Primary and Secondary Schools Z.A. Achmady
stated in his letter dated Aug. 4, 1996, that he supported the
plan.
"We have no argument with your proposal as long as it is not
an obligation for students," he wrote.
Minister Wardiman denied yesterday that his ministry had
required students to buy the shoes.
"The ministry has never issued any letter obliging students to
buy shoes bearing a certain trademark," Antara quoted him as
saying.
The ministry's only stipulation regarding school students'
shoes is that they be black.
The chairman of the Indonesian Teachers Association, Basyuni
Suriamihadja also called on parents yesterday to oppose the sales
plan. "Students are only required to wear black shoes, and
(there's no obligation) about the size, brandname or model," he
said. (prb/07)