E. Kalimantan targets Rp 762b for PON

JAKARTA: East Kalimantan, the designated host for the 2008 National Sports, will seek to set aside a budget of Rp 762 billion for the quadrennial event, locally known as PON, according to the administration's chief executive.

East Kalimantan won the right to host the games, edging out West Java and South Sulawesi, following a vote during a meeting held by the National Sports Council (KONI) earlier this year.

"After the President and KONI endorsed our appointment, we have started preparing ourselves, including our funding plans," Governor Suwarna, who heads the organizing committee, told reporters after meeting KONI officials here on Monday.

He said the money would be allocated for the establishment of new sporting facilities, renovations and the cost of staging the event.

The committee plans a tentative 38 events to be held in the provincial capital Samarinda, Balikpapan, Bontang and Tenggarong.

In the last PON in Surabaya, East Kalimantan finished eighth but Suwarna said that the local team would bounce back when it played host in 2008.

The next PON will be held in the South Sumatra capital of Palembang in 2004. -- JP