Andy Hajramurni, Makassar – Makassar mayoralty in South Sulawesi has issued a local ordinance banning people from giving money to beggars in a bid to stem the recent sharp increase in beggars in the city.

There are currently 2,600 street children and beggars in Makassar, up from 870 in 2006.

"They enjoy being street children because they can get money easily by asking passers by," Makassar Mayor Ilham Arif Siradjuddin said Wednesday.

He said street children faced high risks, and that they were commonly exploited by adults, including in some instances their parents, into earning money.

"Seeing that the number of beggars had increased over the years and taking into account the high risks they face, the mayoralty decided to establish the local ordinance," said Ilham.

Under the Makassar local ordinance, people who give money to beggars face a maximum fine of Rp 1.5 million (US$166.60) or a maximum of three months imprisonment.

This charge is stipulated in local ordinance No. 2/2008 on education for street children, beggars, vagrants and buskers, which was approved by the local legislative council last month. Street children who beg face fines of up to Rp 5 million or three years imprisonment.

The municipality is currently concerned with increasing public awareness of the regulation, which will take into effect in December.

The decree is in line with those in other big cities across the country, including Jakarta, Denpasar in Bali and Medan in North Sumatra.

Ilham said the ordinance was aimed at reducing the number of street children, beggars, vagrants and buskers in his town.

Several NGOs in Makassar, however, opposed the ruling, saying that the mayoralty had been insensitive, and had made street children appear as criminals.

"The mayoralty seems to deny its failure to provide jobs and good settlement for its people. It's funny that people, who live a hard life because of the central government's and the mayoralty's failures have to face the ordinance that can send them to jail," said Mappinawang, chief of South Sulawesi Children Protection Institution.

"The 1945 state constitution and human rights law say the government should take responsibility in providing its people with health and educational services as well as protecting them from any exploitation," he said.

Ilham said the mayoralty had provided a special program to educate street children, adding that the mayoralty did not prohibit people from helping street children.

"We do not forbid people from helping street children. But we encourage people to give their donations through formal organizations, such as the Ministry of Social Affairs or NGOs concerned with street children issues," he said.