House to set up fact-finding team on SEA Games consortium<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Members of the House of Representatives'
\nCommission VI on Religion and Human Resources said it would be
\nnecessary for the House to set up a fact finding team to
\ninvestigate the 1997 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games underwriting
\nconsortium debt.<\/p>\n
\"If necessary, the House can set up a fact finding team to
\ninvestigate the problem as we did for the Bank Bali case. The
\nconsortium's debts must be brought to court if it has failed to
\nrepay them. It's the people's money they used to finance the
\ngames. We can't let them go free,\" said Ismangun Notosapoetro of
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI-P) during a
\nbreak in the hearing between the commission and state minister of
\nyouth affairs and sports, Mahadi Sinambela.<\/p>\n
\"The legal process needs to proceed. Even if they contributed
\nsomething by staging the event, it's another problem; we must
\nconduct the legal action.\"<\/p>\n
\"The consortium can repay their debts using their assets. If
\nthey still can't pay them, we can send them to prison after
\nbringing charges in court.\"<\/p>\n
\"The people only need the consortium to be transparent in
\nusing their money,\" Ismangun said.<\/p>\n
Another member, Sambas Soerjadi, also from PDI-P, said that
\nthe House would need support from NGOs, including the Indonesian
\nConsumers Agency (YLKI).<\/p>\n
\"We have to cooperate with NGOs, which probably have more
\ndetails on the case, especially the amount of the debts and the
\ndecision letters issued by the government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, Sambas said the problem would be brought initially to
\nan internal meeting of the commission.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully by the end of this meeting, the commission can
\nbring up something on the case.\"<\/p>\n
The consortium, chaired by former president Soeharto's son,
\nBambang Trihatmodjo, was appointed to raise the Rp 150 billion
\nfund to stage the biennial event here.<\/p>\n
Apparently, after the Games were closed, it still had a total
\ndebt of Rp 57.4 billion (US$7.66 million), comprising Rp 44
\nbillion owed to the ministry of forestry's reforestation fund and
\nthe interest, Rp 1 billion to Hotel Atlet Century Park, Rp 1
\nbillion to the Gelora Senayan Management Board (BPGS), Rp 8.7
\nbillion to suppliers and Rp 2.7 billion to the National Sports
\nCouncil (KONI) for the athletes insurance bonus premiums.<\/p>\n
Sambas said the case should have been resolved during last
\nHouse term, but was not. Since it concerns the people's money,
\nthe current House members needed to take action.<\/p>\n
\"If we just let it go, I'm afraid for future multi-sport
\nevents, the private sector will run from their responsibilities
\nand ask the government to pay all the costs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
This is a very complicated problem, said Mahadi. \"The House
\nmay set up a fact finding team, but I think it is the State
\nSecretary that has the authority to investigate the consortium's
\ncase,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking on staging multi-sport events in the country,
\nIsmangun made the controversial statement that the National Games
\n(PON) were not necessary anymore for sports development in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"Staging PON is too expensive for Indonesia. Besides, I think
\nPON is useless for athletes' development, as many provinces
\nprefer to buy athletes from outside instead of grooming young
\nathletes. They just want instant success,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"It's better for each sports organization to stage national
\nchampionships in different provinces. For instance, staging
\nboxing national championships in Irian Jaya, rowing in East
\nKalimantan and so forth.\"<\/p>\n
Mahadi gave a red light to PON organizers, saying that soccer
\nmatches should not be scheduled for the opening and closing
\nceremonies of PON in Surabaya in June, because it might cause
\nriots between team supporters. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-to-set-up-fact-finding-team-on-sea-games-consortium-1447893297",
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