Agung mulls takeover of Sentul circuit

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono said on Monday that his office was still studying a proposed takeover of the Sentul circuit in Bogor, West Java.

Agung said he had asked his assistants, Amrum Bustaman and Darwan Siregar, to complete the study in about a month. He would then be able to make a decision.

The circuit's management, however, must complete a financial audit before the government could take over the property, he added.

"We welcome the offer but don't want to pay liabilities from the old management," Agung said after receiving circuit driver Ananda Mikola at his office.

Sentul director Tinton Suprapto, complaining about financial strains, asked the ministry to take over the circuit last month.

He said the operational costs of the circuit's paddocks contributed most to its financial burdens.

Should the government agree to the offer, Agung said, it would ask the current management to continue running the circuit.

"It's impossible for a government office to manage the circuit. This is a precious asset, so we need staff who can organize competitions and maintain the facilities professionally," he said.

The circuit has hosted the world motorcycling championship round and the world superbike championship leg annually since 1995. The country's economic crisis, however, forced the association to cancel the world motorcycling championship scheduled for April this year.

Agung said the circuit could also be used to stage other sports, such as cycling, in the future.

But Tinton, who accompanied his son Ananda, told Agung that the circuit should someday host a Formula One Grand Prix championship race.

Tinton said other than serving as a site for automotive sports, the circuit management raised income from renting the track for driving tests of new cars. (yan)