Ex-Soeharto foundation offers bonus to athletes
JAKARTA (JP): To encourage national athletes to excel at the upcoming Asian Games in Bangkok, the government promised on Saturday to provide more cash bonuses taken from Yayasan Supersemar, a charity foundation formerly controlled by ex- president Soeharto.
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, Haryono Suyono, said while attending an inauguration ceremony of the national team for the Games that State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono would arrange the medalists' bonus shares.
"As yet I have no idea about the appropriate amount of the bonus. Agung came to me yesterday and asked me if I could help the athletes and this is the way," he said.
Haryono said the foundation would also allocate scholarships for 300 potential athletes across the country. The figure would be increased to 500 next year.
Yayasan Supersemar was one of seven philanthropic foundations chaired by Soeharto. It was founded in 1974 with the mission of providing scholarships for achieving students from elementary to post-graduate schools. Its assets are estimated at Rp 808 billion (US$107,74 million).
Soeharto, who resigned in May, handed over the seven munificent foundations to the government on Nov. 22. President B.J. Habibie has named Haryono the operational coordinator of the foundations, which have so far raised a whopping Rp 4 trillion.
The Yayasan Supersemar foundation is the latest institution to offer the performance-enhancing cash rewards after the National Sports Council, the State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Office and the Association of Indonesian Wood Panel Producers (Apkindo).
Bonus presentations to outstanding sportsmen and women have become something of a tradition in the country.
While Agung and Apkindo refused to disclose the amount of cash bonuses in advance, the sports council has announced that a gold medal winner will earn Rp 50 million, a silver medalist Rp 30 million and a bronze medalist Rp 15 million. Successful coaches will bag 40 percent of the amount their medal-winning athletes receive.
Ready
During the ceremony, Indonesia's chef-de-mission and national training director, Mochamad Hindarto, said that the 129 athletes groomed for the Games were all ready to compete at the Asiad, which takes place from Dec. 6 to Dec. 20.
Most of the team members joined the ceremony.
The athletes, wearing red-and-white sports suits, sang the Indonesia Raya national anthem before Wismoyo asked them to take a pledge that they will do their best at the quadrennial event.
Then they kissed the red-and-white flag to express their determination to represent the country's pride.
State Minister for Empowerment of State Enterprises Tanri Abeng, the newly elected chairman of the Indonesian Tennis Association, Minister of Trade and Industry Rahardi Ramelan, who is also chairman of the Indonesian Swimming Association, former minister of youth affairs and sports Hayono Isman, and the newly elected Indonesian Archery Association were among noted figures at present in the ceremony. (yan)