Dessy Sagita, Heru Andriyanto & Febriamy Hutapea – A week after losing her appeal in a controversial defamation suit, Prita Mulyasari now has more than enough money to pay off the Rp 204 million ($21,624) fine if she loses her Supreme Court appeal.
From the politicians, businessmen, children and scavengers who have come out in droves to support the 32-year-old mother of two, more than Rp 500 million in pledges and donations has now been raised, according to her lawyer, Slamet Yuwono.
The Help Prita movement, which began collecting coins for Prita on Friday, has raised money from 13 cities across the country.
Sisilia Pujiastuti, the coordinator of the donation center in Jati Padang, South Jakarta, told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday that the group doesn't have the total figure yet, but her center alone has raised more than Rp 40 million. She said the center collected nearly Rp 18 million on Tuesday.
"Our friends are collecting coins from Batam, East Nusa Tenggara, Surabaya in East Java, Solo and Semarang in Central Java, Yogyakarta, and Medan in North Sumatra. They will have the coins delivered here," Sisilia said.
"This is far beyond our expectations. The word donation is usually intimidating and only applies to the 'haves.' This way we are giving an opportunity for everybody, including children, scavengers, or even car park attendants, to donate."
And many did. Dozens of piggy banks, mostly from schoolchildren and housewives living in the neighborhood, were scattered across the floor of Sisilia's home.
Jihan Kharisma Putri, 10, dropped off her piggy bank to help Prita because she didn't want to see her sent to jail. "I often watch the news on TV and I see people collecting coins to help Ibu Prita. I told my mom I wanted to help," said the fifth grader.
Sisilia said she continued to receive help from neighbors and volunteers who saw a television news program's report about the campaign.
"We have office employees, housewives, school children, even scavengers coming to our center to donate their coins," she said. Nurhayati, who works for a nongovernmental organization, said she brought three bags full of coins from her coworkers. She also help Sisilia count the money.
"Initially I only wanted to drop off the coins but I saw these people were really so swamped. I offered to help," the 34-year-old said, adding that she wanted to help Prita because what happened to her could happen to anyone.
Public support for Prita began in July, when she was jailed for three weeks after losing a civil suit filed by Omni International Hospital last year. The institution had accused her of defamation because of an e-mail she sent to friends complaining about her treatment at the hospital.
Separate from the campaign, the Democratic Party on Wednesday handed over Rp 100 million to Prita.
"We hope that our sympathy can ease Prita's and her family's burden," Democratic chairman Anas Urbaningrum said. On Tuesday, the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) gave Prita Rp 50 million and called for a boycott of Omni. Former Industry Minister Fahmi Idris has offered to pay half of the fine, or Rp 102 million.