Businesses set up foundation to fund Sports Council
Businesses set up foundation to fund Sports Council
JAKARTA (JP): Eleven of Indonesia's business heavyweights signed a historic agreement yesterday to set up a foundation to collect funds to finance the country's sports activities.
The agreement, signed by Sudono Salim and Sudwikatmono, who represented the group of conglomerates, says that the foundation will provide the National Sports Council with ready-for- disbursement funds.
The council lost its financial back-up following the end of the national lottery in 1993 and since then has asked for help from businesspeople to finance the sending of the national team to various international sports events.
Spokesman of the council, Ishadi SK, told reporters yesterday that the foundation, initiated by council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, will focus on developing potential athletes.
State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman was in attendance at yesterday's ceremony, which also saw the council give bonuses to Indonesian athletes who won medals in the 18th Southeast Asian Games last December.
President Soeharto's daughter Siti Hediati Prabowo was named chairperson of the foundation. Rahardi Ramelan, the council's deputy chairman and vice chairman of the National Development Planning Board, was appointed the patron.
Ishadi said that the council will set up a think-tank to draw up the broad guidelines of policies to be carried out by the foundation.
Hayono warmly welcomed the establishment of the foundation, saying that it will overcome the nagging financial problems the council has long been suffering from.
"The foundation is aimed at managing the financial affairs of developing sports here," he added.
"I believe that from now on the sports development in the country will go on smoothly," Hayono said.
Hayono suggested that officials of the council and all sports organizations, the recipients of the funds, improve their financial management skills.
"I hope them to improve their financial management in order to administer the funds appropriately," he said.
The bonuses for SEA Games medalists were given by "businesspeople who are concerned for the country's sports development" to medal winners in 22 sports at the SEA Games in the form of insurance. The athletes can only disburse 20 percent of their bonuses every year.
Each gold medalist received Rp 25 million (US$10,900), silver and bronze medalists received Rp 3 million and Rp 2 million respectively.
Coaches whose athletes won gold medals were also awarded Rp 5 million each in the form of insurance.
Sudono, Sudwikatmono and Prajogo Pangestu received statues from the council for their distinguished role in developing national sports. (05)