Mahaka fights on without Erick<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Mahaka Satria Muda of Jakarta still aims to
\nbecome the best basketball team in the 2001 Kobatama national
\nleague despite the resignation of its general manager Erick
\nThohir.<\/p>\n
Simon Pasaribu, who takes over Erick's post in both Mahaka and
\nwomen's side Mahaputri, expressed optimism to reporters on
\nWednesday on Mahaka's chance of repeating its 1999 victory in the
\nleague which will kick off in March.<\/p>\n
\"Mahaka still wants to achieve its best in this year's
\nleague,\" he said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Erick, who also attend the briefing, announced his resignation
\nfrom Mahaka and Mahaputri to begin his new duties as President
\nDirector to PT Abdi Bangsa, which runs Republika national daily.
\nHe said he wanted to concentrate on his new job.<\/p>\n
In addition to Erick's departure, Mahaka also loses three
\nplayers: Harris who moves to Medan-based Angsapura club, Rifki
\nIrawan who moves to Jakarta-based Dwidasa Mitra and Amran A.
\nSinta who quit the team to start a new career in a law firm.<\/p>\n
Luckily, Mahaka still managed to extend contracts with center
\nFictor Gideon Roring and is now expected to hire Indonesia Muda
\n(IM) Texmaco top forward Rommy Chandra. Mahaka offered Rommy Rp
\n45 million (US$4,740) to transfer.<\/p>\n
\"I can't mention our team members for this year's Kobatama. We
\nmay recruit more players from our second division team, but we
\nwill only hire one more player from another club,\" Simon said.<\/p>\n
He said the new team would sharpen its skills in the Bhinneka
\nCup basketball tournament in Surakarta, Central Java from Jan. 24
\nto Jan. 27.<\/p>\n
\"We heard that Kobatama defending champion Aspac will hire
\nforeign players for the league. But we prefer to rely on local
\nplayers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Erick also said he wanted to resign his post as the 2001
\nSoutheast Asian (SEA) Games women's team manager but will wait
\nfor approval from chairman of the Indonesian Basketball
\nAssociation (Perbasi) Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
\"I have notified Pak Sutiyoso of my objection to this task,
\nbecause it's a tough job. I heard that the women's training
\nprogram will be centralized in Surabaya and it's possible for me
\nto leave my job in Jakarta regularly to visit the training. I
\ncan't work without any commitment,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Erick was in the spotlight after his success helping Mahaka
\nlift the Kobatama trophy. Darma Bakti Mahaka foundation assigned
\nErick to manage Satria Muda club in 1999, which it took over, and
\nchanged it to Mahaka Satria Muda.<\/p>\n
\"Becoming a team manager was not easy but it's a promising
\nchallenge. Satria Muda finished bottom of 10 teams at the 1998
\nleague and that's the fact I had to deal with the first time I
\ngot the job.\"<\/p>\n
\"I searched for the reason for its failure as it was the 1996
\nleague's semifinalist. I revamped the team's management and
\nshared with all team members to develop a similar vision and
\nmission,\" the 30-year old entrepreneur recalled. (ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mahaka-fights-on-without-erick-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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