Central Java aims to host 2004 National Games
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)