Central Java aims to host 2004 National Games

JAKARTA (JP): Central Java is determined in its ambition to host the 2004 National Games (PON), despite tough competition from West Java, North Sumatra and South Sumatra.

Governor Mardiyanto told a press conference on Thursday that the province would need nearly Rp 200 billion (US$26.3 million) to stage the quadrennial event.

The money would be taken from the provincial budget of Rp 88.5 billion and the state budget of Rp 40 billion. There would be Rp 10 billion assistance from the National Sports Council (KONI) and the private sector and contingents are expected to contribute around Rp 56.5 billion and Rp 5 billion respectively.

Mardiyanto said he wanted to use the opportunity for Central Java to reach the top three in the national ranking.

"By hosting PON, I believe our athletes will be motivated to work harder to reach our ambition of finishing third in the overall title," he said.

In the 1996 Games, Central Java finished fourth with 32 golds after the host Jakarta with 141 golds, West Java with 71 golds and East Java with 65 golds.

Central Java plans to hold PON in the five cities of Semarang, Salatiga, Surakarta, Wonogiri and Magelang due to the limited venues in the capital.

About 6,500 athletes are expected to compete in 36 sports in the event. Nineteen of the 36 sports -- including archery, beach volleyball, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, karate, judo, pencak silat, rowing, sepak takraw, shooting, swimming, taek won do, tennis, track and field, weightlifting and windsurfing -- are KONI's priorities for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the Asian Games.

Mardiyanto said although he still needed to work hard to finance the event, if Central Java wins, he would not burden his people with the huge budget.

"We plan to request the contribution of Rp 100 per month from each family in the province until 2004. But the final solution when we have a deadlock will be sponsorships," he said, adding that he hoped KONI would announce the bidding winner in February 2000.

"Through this contribution, we estimate to earn Rp 2 billion per month. It's not a small amount but as I said before, it will be the last resort."

Central Java has picked Bimby as its mascot. Bimby is a humorous character like Bima, a hero of the Bharata family in the Mahabharata epic. (yan)