At least four expected to run for KONI post

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.