Gabsi wants political help in bid to host 2003 Bermuda Bowl<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Contract Bridge Association (Gabsi) is hoping for
\npolitical assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs in
\nsupport of its bid to host the Bermuda Bowl -- the world's most
\nprestigious bridge tournament.<\/p>\n
\"The department should try to get the United States to ease
\nthe policy warning its citizens against traveling to Indonesia in
\nthe wake of the September 11 incident,\" Amran Zamzami, a Gabsi
\nadvisory board member, said upon the national team's arrival at
\nSoekarno-Hatta airport here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The team, which came second in the Rosenblum Cup in Montreal,
\nCanada, was received by Gabsi officials led by outgoing chairman,
\nGeneral (ret) Wiranto.<\/p>\n
The team comprised Eddy Manoppo, Henky Lasut, Denny Sacul,
\nFranky Karwur, Robert Tobing, Taufik Hasby and non-playing
\ncaptain Munawar Sawirudin.<\/p>\n
The Rosenblum Cup is a quadrennial international team bridge
\nchampionship that traditionally draws strong teams from around
\nthe world.<\/p>\n
The Montreal meet featured 160 teams from 70 countries. Given
\nthe number and the strength of the participants, the Rosenblum
\nCup is the second most important bridge competition after the
\nBermuda Bowl, whose latest edition was staged in Paris last year.<\/p>\n
Bali, the tourism island in the southern part of Indonesia,
\nwas actually to have hosted the tournament in October, but the
\nWorld Bridge Federation (WBF) abruptly shifted it to Paris
\nbecause of security fears arising from the Sept. 11 terrorist
\nattack on the World Trade Center in New York.<\/p>\n
Indonesia hopes that the WBF will reexplore the possibility of
\nallowing the 2003 Bermuda Bowl to be held in Bali.<\/p>\n
Amran, who acted as team manager in Montreal, warned of the
\nstrength of American influence in the WBF and the need for the
\nAmerican administration to lift a policy he described as akin to
\na \"cultural embargo\" on Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"At this juncture, we are turning to our Department of Foreign
\nAffairs for help,\" he said, adding that Indonesia would be in
\ncompetition with Mexico and Poland for the hosting of the 2003
\nchampionship.<\/p>\n
However, Gabsi will have to prioritize resolving its internal
\nproblems first following the resignation of Hatta Radjasa after
\nonly one month in his job as the organization's chairman.<\/p>\n
Hatta, who is also Minister of Research and Technology,
\nresigned on Aug. 14, saying that he did not have authorization
\nfrom President Megawati Sukarnoputri to take on the job.<\/p>\n
Wiranto, who leads a five-strong team tasked with selecting
\nthe members of the new Gabsi board, said that he would coordinate
\nwith bridge organizations at the provincial level to find a
\nreplacement for Hatta.<\/p>\n
Wiranto refused to specify how much time would be needed for
\nthis. \"The issue will be resolved as soon as possible,\" said the
\nformer Indonesian Military chief.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gabsi-wants-political-help-in-bid-to-host-2003-bermuda-bowl-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}