Bob Hasan reelected as PASI chairman

Bob Hasan reelected as PASI chairman

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Timber tycoon and corruption convict Mohammad "Bob" Hasan, who
last week was released from a maximum security prison, was
reelected for the seventh straight time since 1982 as chairman of
the Indonesian Athletics Association (PASI) on Wednesday.

He was released on parole last Friday after serving two-thirds
of his six-year prison sentence for misusing US$75 million in
funds belonging to the ministry of forestry.

The 73-year-old former Minister of Industry during the
Soeharto era promised to continue to develop local track and
field.

He said that he would start by scouting for local talent in
every province and provide dozens with scholarships.

"We need new blood in our programs," he announced after the
association's congress.

Speaking more specifically about his programs, Bob said that
PASI would search for 10 promising male and female athletes from
each of the 32 provinces across the country.

A yearly subsidy of Rp 6 million ($705) would be provided for
each of them, mostly for improved nutrition.

Bob said that PASI had already gotten a commitment from giant
state-owned Bank Mandiri, which would give financial assistance
to the athletes, and he promised that other partners would follow
in the near future.

"We will look for young talent with a minimum height of 170
centimeters. (5 foot 8 inches) We should certainly be able to
compete with other sports such as basketball, volleyball and
tennis (for tall athletes)," he said, adding that PASI would
organize more track meets, particularly for high school students.

He said that his other focus would be to find more talent in
the sprints.

According to Hasan, a good sprinter could also become a good
contender in other events like the jumps, hurdles and pole vault.

"(Men's) world champions in the pole vault and long jump can
often run as fast as a 10.1 seconds for the 100-meter dash," he
said.

Hasan, a former chairman of the Indonesian Forest
Concessionaires Association, was sentenced to two years in prison
by the Central Jakarta District Court after he was found guilty
of misusing government funds. He was also ordered to pay a Rp 15
million fine and return Rp 14.1 billion to the state.

He appealed the verdict with the Jakarta High Court, and as a
result was sentenced to six years in prison and had to pay
compensation of some US$243.7 million. The sentence was upheld by
the Supreme Court.

In March 2001, the late Baharuddin Lopa, who at the time was
former minister of justice and human rights, sent him to
Nusakambangan penitentiary in Central Java "to deter other
corruptors".