KONI gets aid as intake surpasses budget<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The National Sports Council (KONI), which is busily preparing a
\nsquad for the Asian Games, has received a Rp 5 billion
\n(US$560,000) check from the State Ministry of State Enterprises.<\/p>\n
The check was presented to KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar
\nby State Enterprises Minister Laksamana Sukardi at the Century
\nHotel in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Laksamana, who was accompanied by top officials from several
\nstate enterprises (BUMNs) under his supervision, said that giving
\nfinancial support was their obligation to assist the athletes
\nwith their preparation.<\/p>\n
\"This is not 'aid', this is our obligation. We hope it will
\nprovide the athletes with extra motivation,\" Laksamana said to
\nthe applause of athletes attending the presentation.<\/p>\n
He said that the money was accrued from the state enterprises,
\nwith each contributing two percent of their revenue.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo, who was the first to give a speech, pleaded with the
\nathletes to train and work harder in order to give their best
\nperformance in Busan, South Korea.<\/p>\n
Busan is the venue for the Asian Games, which will run from
\nSept. 29 through Oct. 14.<\/p>\n
\"You have to repay it with an achievement in Busan,\" Wismoyo
\ntold the athletes.<\/p>\n
\"You have to feel it. If not, I'm not sure whether or not
\nyou're human. You have to fight until you give off steam out
\nthere in Busan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The check was the latest package commitment, either realized
\nor being processed, that KONI had obtained in its fund-raising
\ncampaign for participating in the Asian Games.<\/p>\n
It received a financial boost from the government through the
\nMinistry of National Education, the Bung Karno Sports Complex
\nManagement (BPGBK) and general contractor Aneka Bina Lestari.<\/p>\n
KONI officials in charge of budget affairs said Bank Mandiri,
\nSampoerna, Samsung and Telkomsel would follow soon with their
\npledges, bringing the total amount of financial help to Rp 41.5
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
This sum will surpass the budget, which is set at Rp 40
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
KONI's head for budget affairs Togi Hutagaol and his assistant
\nSoedarno, who were interviewed on separate occasions, said that
\nthey had spent between Rp 15 billion and Rp 20 billion to conduct
\nthe training program, which began early this year.<\/p>\n
\"If we have a surplus at the end of the Asian Games, then it
\nwill be allocated toward the preparation for the next SEA Games,\"
\nTogi said, referring to the Southeast Asian meet scheduled for
\nnext year in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, training project manager Rudolf Warouw said KONI
\nwas grooming 104 athletes. The figure is a 20 percent decrease
\nfrom the 176 at the start of training camp in January.<\/p>\n
Recalling KONI's mission that it would send only athletes with
\ngood medal prospects, Rudolf said further elimination was
\npossible until the end of this month when the entry forms would
\nhave to be submitted to the Busan Asian Games Organizing
\nCommittee (BAGOC).<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/koni-gets-aid-as-intake-surpasses-budget-1447893297",
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