Agung mulls takeover of Sentul circuit

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)