REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said government officials who have received free tickets during the convening of the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra, need not report them to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). He explained that value of money of the free tickets does not qualifies as gratification.

"They need not report the free tickets to the KPK because the value of money of the free tickets does not exceed Rp10 million, which is the value of gratification," he told journalists here on Tuesday.

Kalla argued that receiving the Asian Games' free tickets did not make the recipients rich and luxurious instantly. "This is about a national pride that we fight for. It is just for giving support," he noted.

He remarked that applauding Indonesian athletes competing in the Asian Games was also a sort of contribution to the nation. The free tickets, which had been circulated to many people, could be provided by several sponsors of the 18th Asian Games.

The sponsors themselves might have received the tickets from the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee (Inasgoc). Kalla said there were so many sponsors of this multi-sport event. Several sponsors may have purchased lots of tickets and even a thousand tickets.

Also read: ID cards required to buy Asian Games tickets

"The sponsors may have friends, including state officials, who may receive the tickets. This is just a kind of friendship, not gratification," he explained.

Kalla commented on the Asian Games' free ticket-related issue after commissioners of the antigraft body called on the civil servants and other state officials who received or had requested for the free tickets to report them to the KPK within 30 working days.

Spokesman of the antigraft body, Febri Diansyah, had earlier opined that demanding for or receiving the Asian Games' free tickets is an inappropriate act for the state officials and civil servants. "We have got information on certain state officials who have allegedly received the free tickets. Some of them may have even attempted to demand the tickets from other parties," Diansyah revealed here on Monday.

The prohibition has been regulated in Law Number 30/2002 on the KPK and Law Number 20/2001 on Eradicating Acts of Corruption, he elaborated, while adding that demanding for or receiving the free tickets might be closely related to the state officials' authorities.

"It may be related to the authorized people's authorities, because ordinary people at large should purchase the tickets with their money. Do not abuse power for getting free facilities," he stated.

Indonesia is hosting the Asian Games for the second time this year after Jakarta was first selected to be the host of the Asian sporting event in 1962. This year, Jakarta and Palembang are co-hosting the games from Aug 18 to Sept 2. By virtue of its hosting the 2018 games, the country aims to secure a place among the top 10 largest sporting events.

At this world's second biggest multi-sport event after the Olympics, around 15 thousand athletes from 45 countries compete in 462 events across 40 sports, of which 32 are Olympic sports.

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