Ulemas urged to issue edict on gambling

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation urged the Indonesian Ulemas Council yesterday to issue an edict on gambling following a proposal by the National Sports Council to reinstate a lottery to raise funds for sports.

The agency's deputy chairman, Agus Pambagio, told reporters yesterday that such an edict was necessary because the fund- raising program would target the people.

"The government bans gambling but that is not enough. People must have moral standards which explain whether they are gambling if they buy lottery coupons," Agus said.

On Thursday, Dali Taher, a sports businessman who proposed the lottery, said that under the scheme, called the Sports Awareness Campaign, an estimated Rp 100 billion (US$7 million) of public funds could be raised annually from the sale of coupons.

He said half of the money would go to the organizers to provide prizes, 30 percent would go to the sports community and the remaining 20 percent to the Ministry of Social Services and the National Sports Council.

Coupons will be sold for Rp 5,000 each, with the lowest prize also worth Rp 5,000. State-owned bank BRI is expected to distribute the coupons, which might well also serve as tickets to watch certain competitions.

Buyers will probably also qualify for a prize if they collect at least three coupons which bear the same sports logo.

Dali claimed that the ulemas council had approved the proposal.

Agus questioned yesterday the small portion of funds which would go to the sports council.

"If the lottery concept is to help the council develop national sports, why does it allocate most of the funds raised to provide prizes? I think it will encourage people to gamble," he said.

Agus said people would tend to buy the coupons for the prizes as sports events are relatively rare. "Isn't it gambling?" he asked.

Agus suggested the sports council and those who introduced the proposal to explain it to the public and ask for advice from the House of Representatives, religious groups and social scientists.

"We don't want to oppose the plan. We, on behalf of the public, just want the sports council to learn from the controversial SEA Games sticker sale," said Agus.

He said he had asked for an explanation from council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar and secretary Rudolf S. Warouw but had not received a response. (yan)