E. Java asked to send supporters and fruits

E. Java asked to send supporters and fruits

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) has asked
East Java to send supporters and fruit to the 19th SEA Games.

"Since this is a request from KONI and the initiative of
Governor Basofi Sudirman, we will send supporters and fruit
produced by East Java to the SEA Games," Deputy Governor Abdul
Hamid was quoted as saying by Antara in Surabaya yesterday.

In the past two days, dozens of 100-kilogram sacks of fruit
from various regions in East Java have been sent to Surabaya.
Some of them have been sent straight to the East Java provincial
office in Jakarta on Jl. Pasuruan No. 18.

The fruit being sent to the SEA Games include oranges from
Pamekasan and Madura, apples from Malang, duku from Jember and
salak (snakeskin fruit) from Lumajang. There are also processed
fruits produced by East Java for the Games. These are pisang sale
(sweetened dry bananas) and kripik nangka (jackfruit chips).

"The fruit will be given out not only to fans from East Java
but also to other supporters. We will send the fruit in huge
amounts and all will be free of charge," Hamid said.

For the 1996 National Games in Jakarta, East Java sent
thousand of supporters and seven tons of fruit for the
supporters.

"We have received a good response from the athletes since we
announced our intention of sending supporters and fruit to the
Jakarta Games," Hamid said.

The Lampung chapter of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association
(IPSI) has announced that it will send supporters to the pencak
silat events at the SEA Games.

Lampung pencak silat coach Budi Sanusi said in Bandarlampung
yesterday that the sending of the supporters was to cheer the
spirits of the pencak silat athletes competing in the Games.

"As well as the supporters, Lampung IPSI officials will also
attend the Games. We hope this will boost the morale of the
pencak silat athletes," Budi said.

Of the pencak silat athletes, one, Suwandi, comes from
Lampung.

Suwandi was a gold medalist at the 18th SEA Games in Chiang
Mai, Thailand, in 1995, and grabbed a silver medal in the 14th
National Games for Lampung.

"In the 19th SEA Games, Suwandi will compete in the B category
(50-55kg). We hope Suwandi will capture a gold for Indonesia,"
Budi said, as quoted by Antara. (lnt)