14th National Games budget estimated at Rp 26.5 billion

14th National Games budget estimated at Rp 26.5 billion

JAKARTA (JP): The organizing committee of the 14th National
Games (PON) has estimated their budget for the country's biggest
sporting meet at Rp 26.5 billion (around US$12 million), though
they still face a Rp 3 billion ($1.35 million) deficit.

Committee Chairman Surjadi Soedirdja told a hearing with the
National Sports Council (KONI) yesterday that host Jakarta has
committed Rp 11 billion (nearly $5 million) from the 1995/1996
and 1996/1997 budgets.

Soerjadi, who is also Governor of Jakarta, said that the
committee will receive Rp 7 billion ($3.1 million) through
sponsorship. Other revenues are expected to come from public
service fees, ticket sales and donations from all 27
participating provinces.

"We would like either KONI or the government to cover the
deficit," said Soerjadi. The budget for the 14th PON, scheduled
for September 1996, has increased Rp 8.5 billion ($3.8 million)
since the previous games in 1993.

"The financial shortage has become crucial because the Games
will be staged one year earlier than scheduled and because we no
longer can rely on the government-backed lottery," said Surjadi,
who was named committee chairman for a second successive year.

National lottery organizers donated Rp 5.26 billion ($2.37
million) to the 1993 PON, just a few months before the government
banned the lottery.

KONI decided last January to move up the next quadrennial
Games from 1997 to 1996. KONI says that 1997 is a very busy year
for Indonesia due to general elections the 19th Southeast Asian
(SEA) Game, which Indonesia will host.

Unreliable

Though KONI president Wismoyo Arismunandar responded warmly to
Surjadi's complaint over the financial shortages, he said that
KONI was not the right place to look for financial aid.

"We need to work together. KONI is now scrambling to collect
fresh funds for national sporting activities," Wismoyo said.
Fifty national leading businessmen gave KONI financial help
during a dinner last month, including Rp 15 billion ($6.76
million) to send the national team to the Southeast Asian Games
in Chiang Mai in December.

Mohammad "Bob" Hasan, Wismoyo's deputy, suggested that Surjadi
cut the budget by strictly sorting out which athletes and
officials are participating in the National Games.

"Many 'tourists' have come here for previous PONs," Hasan
said, referring ironically to the swelling number of officials
that attend the Games with little or no purpose. "I never saw
them work for their teams at all before," he added.

The Games next year are expected to introduce more events such
as bridge, chess, squash, billiards, beach volleyball and an
equestrian segment.

"We've agreed to put them into full-fledged medal events since
our athletes have been internationally recognized in some of
those events," Wismoyo said. (arf/amd)