Asiad contingent still short of cash
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Asian Games contingent organizers expressed relief yesterday on hearing about the team's free flight to Thailand, but doubted they had enough money to cover other expenses.
The deputy head of the National Sports Council's athletes development body, Muhammad Hindarto, said yesterday that the free flight on a military cargo aircraft would reduce the transportation expenses from US$523,000 to only $75,000.
"We greatly appreciate the government's help which is very meaningful now that we are gearing up for the Asian Games amid financial shortages," he said.
"But unfortunately there are still many more financial matters to solve," he added.
State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono said Tuesday that Minister of Defense/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto had agreed to provide an Air Force Hercules cargo aircraft to transport 200 Indonesian athletes and officials to and from Bangkok for the Asiad in December.
Agung also promised to seek Minister of Finance Fuad Bawazier's approval to exempt the Indonesian contingent from paying departure tax. The government imposes a Rp 1 million tax on all residents leaving the country by air.
Hindarto said that the plane would also carry sports equipment along with the estimated 159 athletes who will be competing in 21 events,
In addition to transportation expenses are pocket money and accommodation expenses for both athletes and officials. These are expected to total almost $330,000, according to Hindarto.
"We cannot afford to provide the daily expenses now because we are using all our money to finance the ongoing training programs," he said.
Hindarto said half of the training expenses budget would be covered by sports bodies whose athletes are now being groomed for the Asiad.
The sports council has announced that the 13th Asian Games will cost Indonesia at least Rp 15 billion. The government has allocated Rp 3 billion from the state budget to help the national team prepare for the quadrennial event. (emf)