Chaerul says he is ready to quit PBSI

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta

The chairman of the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI), Chairul Tanjung, who is under fire over what is seen as the deterioration of the national program, said here on Wednesday he was prepared to resign his post.

However, he said that he would step down only after the association had found an acceptable replacement for him.

"I will not quit today. I asked them to look for my replacement. If they find a replacement and the candidate is approved by the provincial chapters, we will hold an extraordinary meeting at which I will declare my resignation," Chairul said after a meeting here.

The meeting, which was attended by PBSI officials as well as former national players, was called in the wake of mounting calls for Chairul's resignation because of mismanagement.

While the association is looking for his replacement, Chairul said he would remain at his post until after the 2004 Olympic Games in August.

He said the main reason for his decision to resign was that he wanted to spare the association from any conflicts. "I do not want the PBSI to split into two conflicting sides, one in support of me continuing my chairmanship and the other against my chairmanship," Chairul said.

He said he would have quit his post as early as last month, after Indonesia failed to win the Thomas and Uber Cups, but had been asked by the association's advisory board to delay his departure.

It appears, however, that he will not be able to delay his resignation much longer as the calls for his departure mount.

"But I cannot abandon the PBSI just yet because I have responsibility for the association. Who is going to pay the officials' salaries if I resign right now?" Earlier, the head of the Jakarta chapter of the badminton association, Icuk Sugiarto, along with 24 other regional heads, called for Chairul to resign, saying that he had failed to meet his promise to channel money to provincial chapters for development programs.