People who give money to beggars face hefty fines in Indonesian city

GraceAbounds · 08-04-2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

People who give money to beggars face hefty fines in Indonesian city

(AP) - JAKARTA, Indonesia-People who give money to beggars in one Indonesian city could be slapped with a US$660 (€483) fine, while panhandlers themselves could face up to six weeks in jail under a proposed new law, an official said Friday.
The goal of the bill being circulated in Medan, the provincial capital of North Sumatra, is to clear the streets of beggars, some of whom have formed organized gangs to harass tourists and residents, said Nabari Ginting of the Social Services Department.

Nabari said a local survey showed the average person asking for handouts in Medan was bringing home the equivalent US6 (€4 a day), more than the average daily wage in the city. Many of the beggars worked for gang leaders, who deployed them to various points of Medan, he said.
"We'd rather people give money to orphanages or nursing homes," he said, putting the number of panhandlers in Indonesia's third largest city at around 11,000, many of them under the age of 12. "We want to clean up the image of our city."
Many in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelagic nation of 235 million people, are desperately poor, with half the population living on less than US$2 (€1.50) a day.
Begging is common in Indonesia, though not as prevalent as in some other Asian countries.
At least two other regions have passed ordinances preventing people from giving cash to panhandlers, who are often mothers sitting on sidewalks or children knocking on the windows of stopped cars.

People who give money to beggars face hefty fines in Indonesian city

Maulds · 08-04-2007, 06:39 PM

Interesting, in a way I agree with this.

All Else Failed · 08-04-2007, 08:26 PM

Wow, no good deed goes unpunished.

Maulds · 08-04-2007, 08:45 PM

If you are an enabler and give them a handout everyday they'll never be better than a beggar. If you make them take some responsibility and you encourage peole to donate instead to places like shelters then in the end I think you do more good. Lets not pretend no homeless person ever took money given to them and bought booze or crack or whatever else. I'm not saying they all do, but if you give to a shelter instead you know where the money goes. It makes sense.

All Else Failed · 08-04-2007, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maulds

If you are an enabler and give them a handout everyday they'll never be better than a beggar. If you make them take some responsibility and you encourage peole to donate instead to places like shelters then in the end I think you do more good. Lets not pretend no homeless person ever took money given to them and bought booze or crack or whatever else. I'm not saying they all do, but if you give to a shelter instead you know where the money goes. It makes sense.

Well I still think that me giving money to them is a good gesture, perhaps they haven't eaten in days?

Maulds · 08-04-2007, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by All Else Failed

Well I still think that me giving money to them is a good gesture, perhaps they haven't eaten in days?

Its a very good gesture I agree, I'm all for helping others. I'm most interested in what helps the most people in the long run. You've heard the old adage "Give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach him how to fish he eats for life" I think it applies here. If someone is doing good enough begging why would they quit unless it wasnt an option?

All Else Failed · 08-04-2007, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maulds

Its a very good gesture I agree, I'm all for helping others. I'm most interested in what helps the most people in the long run. You've heard the old adage "Give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach him how to fish he eats for life" I think it applies here. If someone is doing good enough begging why would they quit unless it wasnt an option?

I agree that donating to shelters is a good idea. I think more social programs for the homeless and those in poverty should be established.

GraceAbounds · 08-04-2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by All Else Failed

I agree that donating to shelters is a good idea. I think more social programs for the homeless and those in poverty should be established.

I agree, but I believe they should have mandatory classes and things that do like Maulds said: "teach them how to fish".

All Else Failed · 08-04-2007, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraceAbounds

I agree, but I believe they should have mandatory classes and things that do like Maulds said: "teach them how to fish".

I think maybe working programs and small menials jobs would be best, so at least they are financially established.

groundpounder · 04-04-2008, 05:20 PM

Jesus Christ in the Second Coming is going to come back as a homeless man, just to see what's what and who's doing their part...

dt3 · 04-04-2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groundpounder

Jesus Christ in the Second Coming is going to come back as a homeless man, just to see what's what and who's doing their part...

And he's gonna be pissed at all the thread-diggin bitches

groundpounder · 04-04-2008, 05:39 PM

don't hate the player, hate the game....

GraceAbounds · 04-04-2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groundpounder

Jesus Christ in the Second Coming is going to come back as a homeless man, just to see what's what and who's doing their part...

Pudding Time · 04-04-2008, 05:55 PM

Indonesia is one of the most fucked up countries in the world. Government is riddled with corruption, and the population is WAAAAAAY too high for the size of the country.

This just seems like the government trying to decrease the amount of desperate beggers in the populated areas. What they should do is fix the whole country instead of trying to push away the poor.

That country is long overdue for a revolution..

HisHoliness · 04-04-2008, 05:59 PM

I've seen news articles about people who even manage their open wounds to keep them fresh and grizzly for long periods to help with their begging. It's a lifestyle.

08-04-2007, 06:39 PM	#2
Maulds Moderator Staff Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TN Posts: 4,828 Tokenz: 8,541	Re: People who give money to beggars face hefty fines in Indonesian city Interesting, in a way I agree with this. __________________ Member Of The Conservatives In Exile Est.11/5/2008 anticipated date of death 11/6/2012

08-04-2007, 08:26 PM	#3
All Else Failed Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 6,451 Tokenz: 6,934	Re: People who give money to beggars face hefty fines in Indonesian city Wow, no good deed goes unpunished.

08-04-2007, 08:45 PM	#4
Maulds Moderator Staff Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TN Posts: 4,828 Tokenz: 8,541	Re: People who give money to beggars face hefty fines in Indonesian city If you are an enabler and give them a handout everyday they'll never be better than a beggar. If you make them take some responsibility and you encourage peole to donate instead to places like shelters then in the end I think you do more good. Lets not pretend no homeless person ever took money given to them and bought booze or crack or whatever else. I'm not saying they all do, but if you give to a shelter instead you know where the money goes. It makes sense. __________________ Member Of The Conservatives In Exile Est.11/5/2008 anticipated date of death 11/6/2012

04-04-2008, 05:55 PM	#14
Pudding Time Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,203	Re: People who give money to beggars face hefty fines in Indonesian city Indonesia is one of the most fucked up countries in the world. Government is riddled with corruption, and the population is WAAAAAAY too high for the size of the country. This just seems like the government trying to decrease the amount of desperate beggers in the populated areas. What they should do is fix the whole country instead of trying to push away the poor. That country is long overdue for a revolution..

04-04-2008, 05:59 PM	#15
HisHoliness Banned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Waiting for Godot. Posts: 1,171	Re: People who give money to beggars face hefty fines in Indonesian city I've seen news articles about people who even manage their open wounds to keep them fresh and grizzly for long periods to help with their begging. It's a lifestyle.

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