Senayan directors agree to write off consortium debt<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Gelora Senayan sports complex's board of
\ndirectors has agreed to write off a Rp 1 billion debt owed by a
\nconsortium assigned to manage the 19th Southeast Asian Games.<\/p>\n
The consortium incurred the debt through preparing venues at
\nwhich to stage various competitions in the biennial event.<\/p>\n
Director of the sports complex, Yasidi Hambali, said on Friday
\nthat it was up to the State Secretariat whether or not to write
\noff the consortium's debt.<\/p>\n
The minister\/state secretary served ex officio as chairman of
\nthe sports complex's management board.<\/p>\n
\"We will discuss our decision with the minister\/state
\nsecretary. If the consortium really used the money for staging
\nthe Games, I think the government would also give approval to
\nwrite off the debts,\" Yasidi said, adding that he would ask the
\nNational Sports Council (KONI) to explain the decision to the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
He, however, failed to mention when he would meet with Akbar
\nTanjung, the current minister\/state secretary, who is busy
\npreparing to campaign for his political party, Golkar. When
\nIndonesia held the Games in October 1997, the post of
\nminister\/state secretary was held by Moerdiono.<\/p>\n
Yasidi added that the consortium, however, must settle its Rp
\n1.1 billion debt with Century Park Athlete Hotel, which is also
\nowned by the sports complex's management board.<\/p>\n
\"We will not write off the consortium's debt to Century Park
\nbecause the money was used to pay third parties who gave services
\nto the athletes, like cleaning or catering services. So the
\nsports complex's management board would really suffer a huge
\nfinancial loss if the consortium failed to settle its debts,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The consortium, chaired by one of former president Soeharto's
\nsons, Bambang Trihatmodjo, was responsible for raising funds to
\nfinance the Games. It begged to have its debts to the board
\nwaived last May, pleading financial constraints.<\/p>\n
In its audit report, the consortium declared a Rp 68 billion
\ndeficit. The financial losses excluded Rp 46 billion in debts the
\nconsortium owes to the Senayan management board, the Jatiluhur
\nreservoir authorities and hotels which accommodated participating
\nathletes during the event as well as the Ministry of Forestry.<\/p>\n
The consortium's executive director, Bambang Riyadi Soegama,
\ntold State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono,
\nwho is also a vice chairman of the sports complex's management
\nboard, last September that the consortium had not embezzled the
\nmoney. Soegama also said the consortium would approve of a legal
\nsettlement if it failed to pay off its debts.<\/p>\n
Yasidi also said the board officials faced difficulties in
\nmeeting with the consortium's members.<\/p>\n
\"We don't know with whom we should meet to discuss the matter.
\nIf we want to take the matter to court, we don't who we should
\nsue,\" he said. (ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/senayan-directors-agree-to-write-off-consortium-debt-1447893297",
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