Sports bill aims to link KONI with government<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The sports bill now being scrutinized by the
\nHouse of Representatives suggests that the Indonesian Sports
\nCouncil (KONI) come under the government's auspices for the
\nbenefit of the country's future sporting development.<\/p>\n
A House member actively involved in the drafting of the bill,
\nFerdiansyah, said KONI needs a direct link with the government
\n\"to allow the organization to play a greater role in sports
\nmanagement.\"<\/p>\n
The change in KONI's status, Ferdiansyah said, would enable
\nthe DPR to act as the controlling and oversight body, especially
\nwhen proposals for financial support for KONI to be provided by
\nthe State Budget were successful.<\/p>\n
\"With KONI being a non-governmental organization, we have no
\nlegal basis for supervising it,\" he told The Jakarta Post
\nrecently.<\/p>\n
After the liquidation of the sports and youth affairs'
\nministry, KONI had been expected to optimize its role. However,
\nFerdiansyah, a House legislator representing the Golkar Party,
\nsaw this expectation as being excessive.<\/p>\n
The financial problems which have always overshadowed KONI
\nhave now become a matter of national concern and are being
\ndiscussed by DPR members.<\/p>\n
The financial aspect is one of the items covered by the sports
\nbill being drafted by House Commission VI, which oversees
\nreligious, human resources and sports affairs.<\/p>\n
Ferdiansyah called for the government's intervention through a
\nregulation to apportion funding from KONI from the State Budget.<\/p>\n
With such a budget allocation, KONI would not be under such a
\ngreat financial strain, especially when it came to preparing for
\nregional events such as the Southeast Asian Games and Asian
\nGames.<\/p>\n
In preparation for the 2001 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, which are
\nscheduled for Sept. 8 to Sept. 17, KONI needs Rp 67 billion, but
\nthe amount raised so far is far from sufficient and this has
\naffected athletes' training.<\/p>\n
The draft, which outlines the shared responsibilities of
\ngovernment and society, sports institutions, the rights and
\nobligations of society, rewards and sanctions, and funding for
\nsports is expected to be completed by the end of this year.<\/p>\n
Ferdiansyah pointed out that the discussion was aimed at
\naccommodating inputs from the sporting community, including KONI,
\nsports experts and sports journalists.<\/p>\n
In response to the bill, noted sports observer Mangombar
\nFerdinand Siregar agreed to the need for the government to be
\nmore heedful of the nation's sporting development.<\/p>\n
\"The current situation is favorable enough to enable the
\ngovernment to fulfill its responsibilities even more as regards
\nsports' development,\" Siregar told the Post.<\/p>\n
But he did not see the need for KONI to change its status from
\na non-governmental organization into a body which was
\nstructurally linked to the government.<\/p>\n
\"The DPR would still be justified in supervising KONI, even if
\nthe latter remained a non-governmental organization,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the responsibility could be properly reflected in the
\ngovernment's concern for those involved in sport, including not
\nonly the athletes but also the officials.<\/p>\n
\"Say we are given 50 percent off the cost of flights or no tax
\non the importation of sports equipment.\"<\/p>\n
He said that in showing appreciation for successful athletes,
\nthe government should not be satisfied with merely paying
\nbonuses.<\/p>\n
\"With Rp 500 million, what will an athlete do. Nothing. It's
\nonly a flash in the pan. They use it up and then it's finished,\"
\nhe said referring to the cash bonuses Indonesia's gold medalists
\nreceived at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.<\/p>\n
\"I hope the athletes are given the bait instead of fish. For
\ninstance, they should be given the opportunity to continue their
\nacademic studies, attending university, and so forth,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Siregar agreed to the scheme for financial support for sports
\nto be funded by the State Budget, although he hoped to see KONI
\nbecome a self-financing organization.<\/p>\n
\"As long as it doesn't burden the government, that's OK.
\nHowever, the most important thing is that KONI must become a
\nbetter fund-raiser.<\/p>\n
\"KONI should be able to promote sports. Badminton, soccer are
\npartly commercial. The others must be able to follow their
\nexample.<\/p>\n
\"In this respect again, the government is expected to show its
\nconcern by becoming a mediator between KONI and business
\ncircles.\" (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sports-bill-aims-to-link-koni-with-government-1447893297",
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