YLKI skeptical over milk donated to poor

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) questioned on Tuesday the motives of several organizations which have donated discounted and free condensed milk to poor families in the capital.

YLKI executives told The Jakarta Post that the donations were ineffective in combating malnutrition and backfired on the donor organizations by creating the impression they were using the activity to promote their institutions and products.

YLKI vice chairman Agus Pambagio said the public also was skeptical of the government's decision to only appoint particular companies to take part in government-sponsored aid programs.

"The launching ceremonies alone, which sometimes invite ministers, need a lot of money. I'm therefore afraid that such events will only become marketing events (for the donors) to gain a positive image in the community," he said.

Executive secretary of the organization Indah Sukmaningsih said separately that condensed milk would not meet the nutritional needs of malnourished children. She said they desperately needed additional protein but not sucrose, which is the major ingredient in condensed milk.

"According to our research, canned condensed milk of various brands sold in markets across the country contains more sucrose than protein, the element needed to assist in development of children's health."

Many organizations, including milk producers, businesses and social institutions, have distributed cheap or free milk to the needy with the stated objective to help out in the economic crisis.

Most of the donations received much media attention.

On Tuesday, PT Indomilk launched a Milk Care Program, carried out jointly by the Indonesian government and the American government through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), at Muara Angke fishermen resettlement area in Pluit district, North Jakarta.

The milk producer, which is an affiliate of food giant PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, will distribute about 5,778,000 390-gram cans of its condensed milk to about 500,000 families in and around Jakarta over the next six months. Each can will cost Rp 1,000 compared to the market price of Rp 3,800.

The firm would also distribute 942,000 cans for free.

Each fishing family received two cans of milk during Tuesday's ceremony, which was attended by Minister of People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Haryono Suyono and Minister of Food, Drugs and Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin.

Other locals were upset that the families received the milk for free.

"I'm poor, too, but why didn't I get any milk?" a mother of six told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the ceremony.

Other residents grumbled that it would have been better for the government and donors to distribute rice.

"Rice is much more important than milk," said Halimah as she cradled her baby.

Haryono Suyono admitted the milk did not significantly improve nutrition for children and the program would not make inroads in poverty eradication.

"It's only a temporary program for children over two years old and also their parents. It's also to educate parents about the importance of the milk," he said after the ceremony.

Eva Riyanti of Indomilk said her company received US$2 million worth of skim milk from USDA for the program.

"The Rp 1,000 collected from the recipients is used to finance our production and distribution cost," Eva said. (asa)