Sports council not deterred from fund raising program

Sports council not deterred from fund raising program

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) said it would
stick to its plan to launch its fund-raising program, the
People's Fund for Sports (Damura), despite statements from the
Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) and the Indonesian Ulemas
Council (MUI).

KONI official in charge of media and promotion, Enny
Hardjanto, said during the sports council's national plenary
meeting on Tuesday that the program had followed the guidance of
MUI and would not encourage gambling.

"We have received a letter from MUI saying that based on their
edict commission meetings of Dec. 30, 1999 and Jan. 9, 2000,
Damura has fulfilled MUI's guidance for a fund-raising system,"
she said.

MUI acting chairman, Amidhan, said on Monday that the council
had never issued an edict on a program.

Enny also said House of Representatives Commission VI for
human resources and religious affairs had also approved Damura.

"In a letter numbered 6/Komisi VI/I/1999 dated Sept. 3, 1999,
the House considers Damura as the following. The ongoing law
meets the requirement of MUI, gets permission from the Ministry
of Social Services and does not encourage gambling," she said.

Enny said both YLKI and MUI never issued recommendation
letters on the fund-raising program, but only supervised it for
the sake of the people.

KONI announced on Friday that it had signed a memorandum of
understanding with PT 3M on the fund-raising program for sports
development.

PT 3M will commence selling its 10 million coupons in April. A
Rp 5,000 (70 U.S. cents) coupon comprises two parts; the first is
an insurance policy in cooperation with state-owned PT Asuransi
Jasindo worth up to Rp 2.5 million, and the second is a scratch
and win, which gives consumers a chance to win cash prizes from
Rp 5,000 to Rp 25 million.

KONI will only get 6.5 percent from each coupon sold.

KONI's plan received mixed reactions from its members.

Indonesian Wushu Association (WI) chairman Mediteransyah said
the percentage for sports development was meaningless.

"The fund-raising program must give a bigger percentage for
sports development. Ideally, 40 percent is for prizes, 15 percent
for the operator and 35 percent for sports development," he said.

KONI West Java chapter chairman, Dedem Ruchlia, said he would
discuss the program with other officials and the city council
before approving Damura in his province.

Dedem acknowledged that the program would be useful to help
national sports development but he said city councilors would
decide if it would encourage gambling.

"We will discuss this matter with the council's Commission E
for social welfare. They would know better whether the program
was another form of gambling or not. The local authorities and
councilors will recommend whether the program can be applied in
other provinces," said Dedem, who is also the deputy governor for
West Java.

KONI Central Java chapter chairman, Djoko Sudantoko, also
shared Dedem's view, saying that the program's organizer could
cooperate with local sports fund-raising foundation (Yadora).

"We can rely solely on the central government to help fund
national sports, but we should start to encourage people to do
so. Damura is a positive idea. I will discuss it with other
officials to seek their opinion," he said, adding that Yadora was
set up by local businessmen to finance sports in the province.
(ivy/yan)