At least four expected to run for KONI post
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Four candidates have expressed their intention of running for the chairmanship of the National Sports Council (KONI), according to the head of the screening team.
"But they have yet to notify us formally. They will have to register in order to formally declare their candidacies," Oyong Karmayuda said at the KONI offices here on Tuesday.
"The candidates also have to explain their preparedness to speak about their vision and mission for national sports during the next congress," he added.
Oyong heads the screening team consisting of seven representatives from both individual sports organizations and KONI. Familiarly known as the Team of Seven, the members of the team have been assigned to work out the candidacy process by the end of this month ahead of the congress.
Representatives from 50 KONI-affiliated sports organizations and 29 provincial chapters of KONI, as well as a number of sports observers, are expected to attend the three-day congress, which will be held here from Feb. 25 to Feb. 27.
Local media have so far named three candidates: Ari Sudewo, who is currently the first deputy chairman of KONI, Agum Gumelar, the chairman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and Luhut Panjaitan, who heads the karate body, Forki.
Indra Djati Sidi is the latest name to be put on the list of candidates, with Oyong stating that the second deputy chairman of KONI had been endorsed by KONI officials to join the campaign.
Oyong said that a candidate should be supported by at least ten sports organizations or KONI provincial chapters.
"The candidates must provide written evidence about their supporters, or else the supporters themselves must notify us of their candidacies," he said, adding that one sports organization or one KONI provincial chapter could propose two candidates.
Some sports organizations have already let it be known who they want to win. The badminton governing body, the PBSI, and the amateur boxing body, Pertina, have announced their support for Agum.
Meanwhile, the martial arts federation, Tarung Drajat, prefers Ari while Forki stands behind Luhut.
However, the BPOC, the Indonesian body for the promotion of sport for the disabled, is the only organization to have written so far to the Team of Seven stating its allegiance, saying it supported Ari.
Signed by its chairman Senni Marbun, the BPOC letter, which was sent on Tuesday, said that Ari was the right person for the post having worked as the second-in-command for the current chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar for two four-year terms.
Oyong said that written nominations should be forwarded to the Team of Seven by not later than Feb. 15.