Chess association names board members

Chess association names board members

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) has
named their board members for the 1999 to 2003 period.

Percasi chairman Bambang Rachmadi made the announcement on
Sunday at the end of the one-month period given to the
association to name its new board members.

Bambang is also president of the local McDonalds.

A number of board members from the 1995 to 1999 period were
included on the new board. Former Percasi chairman Akbar Tandjung
and his deputy Maj. Gen. Cholid Ghozali were named patrons of the
new board, along with Djoko Moeljo Mangoenprawiro, Mochtar
Kusuma-atmadja, Soeryadi Harmanto and Maj. Gen (ret) Rudolf
Warouw.

Machnan R. Kamaluddin will serve as Bambang's deputy while
Syafaruddin Husada replaces Kristianus Liem as the association's
spokesman.

Djamil Djamal, a noted national chess player, was named
secretary of the board and Eka Putra Wirya will be in charge of
the board's performance development section.

Grand Master Utut Adianto was assigned to help enhance the
talent of the chess players.

In total, the association consist of 29 sections, including
foreign affairs, training, promotion, finance, psychology, health
and the secretariat.

Bambang said the new board would focus on developing chess
both in the country and overseas.

"I will always observe the activities of the new members as
well as the association's regional offices. Our aim is to
popularize chess in the community and to create world-class
players," Bambang said.

He promised to provide incentives for regional offices and
clubs to promote chess in their regions. "For the successful
regional offices and clubs, I will personally give them
certificates."

Bambang was optimistic Indonesia could create more world-class
players like Utut, but said all related parties needed to work
together to achieve the goal.

"We actually have talented players but we do not have another
world-class player like Utut. I am optimistic that one day
Indonesia will have one and probably he will come from the junior
players," Bambang said.

Bambang admitted the association had some difficulty procuring
funds because few companies wanted to sponsor Percasi events.

"I trust Subiakto Priosudarsono can find sponsors because he
is a promotions specialist. I disagree that a lot of funds are
required for chess. The most important thing is to look for
talented players," Bambang said.

Machnan agreed with Bambang that the association should
concentrate more on developing chess than seeking funds.

"If we have talented players who can compete in international
matches, automatically many companies will sponsor the events,"
Machnan said.

Syafaruddin told The Jakarta Post that in his new post as
spokesman, he would cooperate with journalists.

"I want to have good cooperation with journalists because they
are considered the backbone of Percasi," Syafaruddin said. (lnt)