Soeharto to decide on SEA village<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The organizing committee of the 19th Southeast
\nAsian Games is scheduled to meet President Soeharto today to
\nreport on the preparations for the biennial event to be held here
\nnext year.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the National Sports Council Wismoyo Arismunandar,
\nwho is also executive director of the organizers, Coordinating
\nMinister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas, chairman of the patron
\nboard, and State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono
\nIsman, the board's executive director, will report on all aspects
\nof the preparations but are expected to focus on the issue of the
\nathletes village.<\/p>\n
Bambang Sugomo, a member of the SEA Games consortium and also
\nthe committee's deputy official for housing, told reporters
\nyesterday after a meeting with Wismoyo, that the decision on the
\nconstruction of the village will be made by the President today.<\/p>\n
The underwriting consortium of the Games, which is chaired by
\nSoeharto's son Bambang Trihatmodjo, has yet to receive a permit
\nfrom the city administration to start the project, which it wants
\nto build on a four-hectare lot formerly used as a shooting range
\nat the Senayan sports complex in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
However the administration said that it has not seen the
\nproposal, containing blueprints of the complex which would
\ninclude 1,000 rooms.<\/p>\n
The project, which would accommodate some 7,000 athletes and
\nofficials from Southeast Asia's 10 countries, is expected to take
\n10 months to complete and would cost between US$60 million and
\n$70 million.<\/p>\n
Permit<\/p>\n
Wismoyo said that if the consortium receives the permit by the
\nend of this month, it should be able to finish the construction
\non schedule.<\/p>\n
"We have national construction experts working for us who say
\nthey are able to finish the project before the deadline.<\/p>\n
"But if the consortium receives the permit after October, I
\nthink it will be too late," he added.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo expressed the hope that the village will continue to
\nfunction as accommodation for athletes after the Games.<\/p>\n
"It's not only a temporary answer for the need but it must be
\na solution for the village problem," he added.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo said that the organizers will also report on the
\nGames' mascot and logo. The mascot is Hanoman, a white half
\nmonkey, half human knight from the Ramayana mythology, which
\nsymbolizes a never-say-die spirit.<\/p>\n
Wismoyo pointed out that the organizers should learn a lesson
\nfrom the last National Games, at which there were few spectators.<\/p>\n
"Events should be scheduled conveniently so people won't have
\nto leave before the matches are over.<\/p>\n
"And if there are night matches, the organizers should provide
\nmore lights," he added.<\/p>\n
He also urged the organizers to combine sports and
\nentertainment.<\/p>\n
"We could have bands near the stadia so the public still have
\nsomething to watch between events," he said.<\/p>\n
Since most spectators come from the lower classes, the
\norganizers should provide facilities for them, especially
\ntransportation.<\/p>\n
"If necessary, the organizers should provide free
\ntransportation," Wismoyo said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will play host to the regional sporting meet for the
\nthird time since 1979. The sports council has set a target of
\nrestoring Indonesia's pride after an upset rout in Chiang Mai,
\nThailand last year. (yan)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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