60% of the Games budget in hand

60% of the Games budget in hand

JAKARTA (JP): The 19th SEA Games organizing committee has now
received 60 percent of the funds it was allocated by the SEA
Games consortium to organize the biennial event in October.

Organizing committee deputy chairman Arie Soedewo said
Thursday that the committee was still waiting for the remaining
40 percent.

"The total budget for the Jakarta Games was Rp 105 billion.
This will not change despite the fluctuation of the rupiah
against the U.S. dollar," Arie said in a hearing with House
Commission IX for religion, education, and sports Thursday.

Arie said the committee had also received 72 percent of the
training budget.

On venue renovation, Arie said that many of the sport events
would have to adapt themselves to the conditions of the venues.

"For instance, hockey athletes will have to adapt to the
condition of the fields," he said.

To meet the requirements set by the world field hockey
governing body, the organizers were asked to build a new
synthetic hockey field, which is nearly finished.

Arie said the venues that were being renovated were 80 percent
finished.

"We are optimistic that all the venues will be ready for the
SEA Games."

Arie also hinted that most of the funds were used as
efficiently as possible.

"We have saved Rp 500 million on the cost of transporting the
SEA Games torch which will be relayed to Jakarta from Borobudur
temple."

Meanwhile, national and SEA Games soccer team assistant coach
Parlin Siagian has resigned following differences with head coach
Henk Wullem on handling the team.

Parlin submitted his resignation Wednesday to team manager
Andre Amin. Parlin returned to Medan Thursday.

"I have received Parlin's resignation and there is nothing I
can do since his resignation was due to differences with the
national team coach," Andre said.

National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismundar said in
Bandung that he regretted Parlin's resignation, and has called
for the national team to be dismissed.

"If there is no good communication between the coach and his
assistants then it is better that the national team be dismissed
and another team formed," Antara quoted Wismoyo as saying
Thursday.

Wismoyo was in Bandung to watch a trial match between the SEA
Games soccer team and an unknown West Java team. The national
team lost 1-2 to the West Java team.

Wismoyo has also watched athletics, squash and cycling
training sessions around Bandung.

On the SEA Games soccer team, Wismoyo said that he had not
noticed any teamwork among the players, or the coach, assistant
coach and team manager.

"How can we make a good national team if there is no teamwork
on the team. I have told the coach and the team manager to create
good teamwork," Wismoyo said. (lnt)