C. Java to build F1 circuit

C. Java to build F1 circuit

SEMARANG (JP): After Bali, Central Java has become the second
Indonesian province to bid to host a Formula One world
championship race.

Head of the Central Java Tourism Office Henky Hermantoro told
reporters on Monday that the construction of an international
circuit which is eligible to host F-1 races was aimed at
increasing the number of foreign tourists visiting the province.

He said the plan has long been mooted by former top driver
turned businessman Tinton Suprapto, whose credits in automotive
sports include his promotion of the Sentul Circuit in Bogor, West
Java as the host of the World Motorcycling Grand Prix
Championship in 1996.

"Tinton, who is also one of the project's investors, is
planning to build an F-1 network linking Kuala Lumpur, Sentul,
Central Java, Bali and Melbourne," Henky said.

There have been no details on the cost or when the project
will commence, but Henky said an area of land situated between
Salatiga mayoralty and Semarang regency would be provided for the
new circuit.

Henky said the proposal would need approval from the
provincial legislature. (har)

;JP;AMD;
ANPAs..r..
Putbrief-chess-MerdekaCup
Junior team holds seniors
JP/6/BRIEF22

Junior team holds seniors

JAKARTA (JP): The national junior team tuned up for the
Merdeka Cup in Kuala Lumpur next week with a 2-2 draw with their
seniors on Monday.

Taufik Halay, who will play the second board during the
Malaysian outing, opened the scoring for his team when he beat
FIDE Master Irwanto after 38 moves on Slavian defense.

FIDE Master Maksum Firdaus leveled the tie at 1-1 after
forcing national junior No. 3 Tirta Chandra in the 53rd move.
Tirta played aggressively but ran out of steam in the end-game.

The junior team regained the lead, thanks to top ranked
Susanto Megaranto, who outwitted Kasmiran, the backbone of the
South Sumatra team in the National Games last month. Susanto won
in the 38th move after Kasmiran failed to beat the clock.

Sukirman Tedy forced a draw in the fourth board, taming
Andrean Susilodinata in an energy-sapping match played over 58
moves.

The junior team will play two more warm-up matches on Tuesday,
three days before the Merdeka Cup begins. (amd)

;AFP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbrief-cricket-ban
Gibbs, Williams banned, fined
JP/6/BRIEF

Gibbs, Williams
banned, fined

JOHANNESBURG (AFP): South Africa's cricketing authorities on
Monday banned Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams from playing
international matches for the rest of the year and fined them
both for their role in the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal.

A United Cricket Board of South Africa disciplinary committee
fined Gibbs 60,000 rand (8,500 dollars) and Williams 10,000 rand
(US$1,400), commissioner Michael Kuper told a press conference in
Johannesburg.

Pieter Strydom was acquitted on charges of contravening a
local cricketing rule forbidding betting on the outcome of
matches, he said.

The bans will end on Dec. 31.

Gibbs, 26, and Williams, 33, "were found guilty of conspiracy
and not match-fixing," Kuper said, explaining why the panel had
decided to impose light sentences.

;AP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbrief-motocross-world
Langston wins 125cc world title
JP/6/BRIEF

Langston wins
125cc world title

HEINOLA, Finland (AP): Grant Langston of South Africa took the
125 cc motocross world title in style as he won both starts at
the Finnish championship event Sunday.

Langston, riding a KTM, put the title beyond the reach of
James Dobb of Britain, by winning the first race. Dobb was
second.

Langston took a step up from 10th last year. He has won 12 of
30 races this year, and placed second and third six times. Dobb,
also on a KTM, will finish second in the championship after a
fifth placing last year, and Honda rider Mike Brown of United
States will repeat as the bronze medalist.

;AFP;
ANPAs..r..
Putbrief-Olympics-protest
Olympic hotel workers push for extra pay
JP/6/BRIEF

Sydney hotel staff
push for extra pay

SYDNEY (AFP): Employees of a luxury hotel that will house
senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials during the
games here next month protested Monday against its refusal to pay
them an Olympic bonus.

About 50 Regent Hotel staff demanding a 550 Australian dollar
(US$320) bonus for working during the Olympics waved placards and
chanted outside the hotel's main entrance during talks to end the
dispute on Monday.

Union officials refused to rule out the possibility of hotel
workers walking off the job during the games.

As the dispute escalated, the officials accused the hotel of
importing cheap labor from Indonesia for the games.