BPGS pledges Rp 2 billion for Olympics preparation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Gelora Senayan Management Board (BPGS) has
\npledged to provide Rp 2 billion (US$2.8 million) to the National
\nSports Council (KONI) to stage its long-term training program for
\nthe 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Gelora Senayan Executive Directors (DPGS)
\nYasidi Hambali said on Thursday KONI had officially requested Rp
\n5 billion to stage the training.<\/p>\n
"I have urged the BPGS chairman, State Secretary Ali Rahman,
\nto disburse the money at the latest by January to enable KONI to
\nstage its Olympic training programs," he said.<\/p>\n
KONI has said it will need Rp 6.9 billion for its Olympic
\npreparations. It has submitted its budget proposal to the
\nNational Development Planning Board (Bappenas), however the board
\nis yet to respond.<\/p>\n
KONI secretary-general Rudolf Warouw said earlier that he
\nhoped BPGS would disburse the Rp 2 billion fund before the
\ntraining center opened in February.<\/p>\n
"I believe BPGS will give us the funds. If Bappenas and BPGS
\ncannot provide the Rp 6.9 billion budget, KONI will formulate a
\nrequest to the government," he said.<\/p>\n
"If there are no more funds, then we will prioritize the most
\nlikely medal winners to compete at the Olympics. If there are
\nsports organizations who have athletes which have qualified for
\nthe Olympics, and they want to finance their athletes'
\npreparation, then we won't have any problems in sending them
\nall."<\/p>\n
Warouw urged the official in charge of distributing state
\nenterprise profits to KONI, Qoyum Tjandranegara, to promptly hand
\nover Rp 2.5 billion.<\/p>\n
Qoyum, who is also director of state owned Perum PGN, had said
\nthat he would hand over Rp 2.5 billion. But he changed his mind
\nearly this week, saying he might only provide Rp 1.5 billion.<\/p>\n
"I hope all of the Rp 2.5 billion will be handed over soon. I
\ndon't know why he made that statement. We don't know the
\nfinancial condition of the state enterprises," he said.<\/p>\n
KONI is forced to use its annual Rp 800 million budget to
\nfinance the preparations before disbursement of the money.<\/p>\n
"Some of the budget was used to finance our athletes to
\ncompete in the prequalifying rounds of the Olympics, including
\nwindsurfer Oka Sulaksana in Noumea, New Caledonia, recently,"
\nsaid KONI official in charge of planning and budget Togi
\nHutagaol.<\/p>\n
KONI has planned to provide each athlete with a Rp 350,000
\nmonthly allowance during the training period. So far, only 12
\nathletes have qualified for the Olympics.<\/p>\n
Yasidi said BPGS had saved Rp 150 billion for sports facility
\nrenovations rather than sports development.<\/p>\n
"We can use the money to finance our participation in the
\nOlympics, the 2001 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur and the
\n2002 Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea. Those three activities
\ntake Rp 124 billion. We can use the money, but we won't have
\nanything left," he said.<\/p>\n
The money will be used to renovate the Senayan soccer stadium
\nand swimming pool, complete the billiard and snooker center in
\nthe Senayan sports complex and build another indoor stadium in
\nthe East parking lot.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the plan to build a Senayan Tower on the ex-
\nKONI office on Jl. Sudirman, Yasidi said a South Korean company
\nhad expressed interest in continuing the construction, which was
\nstopped due to the monetary crisis.<\/p>\n
"I can't comment on it. It's still too early," he said. (yan)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bpgs-pledges-rp-2-billion-for-olympics-preparation-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }