Sports council calls for talk on lottery plan
Sports council calls for talk on lottery plan
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council invited the
Indonesian Consumers Foundation and media representatives
yesterday to a talk on Thursday on its planned lottery to raise
funds for sports.
Council secretary-general Rudolf Warouw said the council's
executives hoped to swap ideas with their guests during the
meeting, the first official public presentation of the proposal
since its introduction almost two weeks ago.
"We will explain everything about the fund-raising proposal,
while asking for advice on ways to improve it," Warouw said.
The council plans to consult other social organizations
following Thursday's meeting since it believed the public has yet
to become well informed about the proposal.
"It's better for the public to give us advice, instead of
hasty condemnations. We expect fairer judgment on the proposal,
because basically each of us agrees that national sports need
huge funds," Warouw said as quoted by Antara.
The fund-raising plan has sparked controversy centered on
fears that it would encourage gambling as has happened in the
past. Under the proposal, the council would target Rp 100 billion
(US$7 million) of annual revenue from coupons which would be sold
for Rp 5,000 each.
Half of the income would be used to provide prizes, and only
30 percent would go to finance sports development. The remaining
20 percent would be split between the council and the Ministry of
Social Services, which is authorized to issue the license for the
lottery.
Warouw said that even though the proposal had received
government approval, it would take it between three and six
months before it could begin.
"We have to arrange the revenue sharing among the sports
organizations under the council's auspices," he said, adding that
sports bodies which sanction regular competitions deserve a
greater portion than others.
He promised that funds raised from the lottery would be
managed transparently and professionally. An American consultant
is expected to be involved in the program.
In Dili, State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung
Laksono said the government deemed the lottery a realistic means
to raise funds for sports development, but insisted that it was
not the only way.
"No one knows whether the program will yield profits because
it is a philanthropic, not mandatory, scheme," Agung told
reporters during his visit to the East Timor capital.
"This program requires millions of rupiah in investment, while
the organizers must ensure lottery winners will earn the prizes
as promised," he added.
Buyers will win the prizes if their coupons contain at least
three identical sports logos.
Agung said that public participation in financing national
sports was a must because the government alone could not afford
to provide such a huge amount of money for the sports council.
"Let's not dream of helping our athletes reach great heights
in international forums without having to spend a lot of money,"
Agung said. (amd)