Sticker fuss

Sticker fuss

From Sinar Pagi

The appeal by the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) for
community members to refuse to buy SEA Games stickers is
difficult to implement because the sticker prices are usually
already included in the balance of telephone and electricity
bills and the like. It is indeed unethical if donation collection
through the selling of SEA Games stickers is extended until Dec.
31, 1997, while the SEA Games themselves wound up on Oct. 19.

In fact, most people wholeheartedly agree with deputy chairman
of YLKI Agus Pambagio, who said in Jakarta on Oct. 22 that the
collection of funds through sticker sales must be terminated
because continuing the collection was no longer ethical since the
Games were over.

As a community member who has to donate money by paying for
SEA Games stickers every month, I would like to ask Mr Pambagio
how I, and of course other community members, can refuse to pay
for these stickers. Imagine if we refuse to pay for the stickers
thrust upon us when paying our electricity and telephone bills,
or vehicle registration (STNK) or other such things. Perhaps
settlement of these bills would be refused. Then our payments
would be considered overdue and the services would be
disconnected. Would this be fair? Of course not. However, being
just laymen, what can we do? We can only complain and grumble,
helplessly.

Therefore, Mr Pambagio, please let us know how we can avoid
paying for the stickers. Simply refusing to pay for them is
obviously impossible because our public utility and other bills
might not be given to us. If we refuse, the employees of the
concerned companies will tell us to direct our complaints to
their superiors or government officials. They will say that they
are only doing their job, which means that they must obey their
superiors' instructions. In such a position, both consumers and
cashiers must comply with what has been stipulated.

We therefore think that your advise that community members
refuse to pay for the stickers is difficult to implement. It may
be better if you strive for a review of the extension of the
decree. Otherwise, your appeal, which may have been prompted only
by the lack of transparency in the receipt and spending of the
SEA Games funds, will be useless. To the community, me in
particular, having to buy the stickers is quite burdensome. To be
honest, we have donated in the absence of our sincerity or
wholeheartedness. Thank your for the attention given to this.

IHDARYANTO

Jakarta