Extra Rp 6 billion needed for SEA Games

SUBANG, West Java (JP): The 19th SEA Games consortium says it may need a reserve fund of Rp 6 billion (US$2,264,151) over and above the Rp 105 billion budget due to the rupiah's depreciation against the dollar.

Consortium treasurer Okky Chandrawinata said here Friday that the rupiah crisis would not affect the Rp 105 billion budget.

"If our income and our spending in dollars balance, we won't have any problems at all. We have to work hard to earn more dollars," said Okky, who is also the organizing committee's planning and budget deputy.

The consortium expects to earn dollars from the participating athletes' accommodation, but it has to spend dollars to buy sporting equipment.

"We hope the rupiah will get stronger before the Games," he said.

Each athlete will have to pay $30 a day for accommodation while the organizers will have to spend $47 a day for every athlete.

"The $17 difference is a kind of subsidy by the host," Okky said.

Board and lodging will cost the organizers nearly $16 million. About 5,000 athletes will stay at the five-star Hotel Mulia, which will be the athletes' village, close to Senayan sports complex.

Okky said Rp 35 billion has been used to finance the Indonesian team's preparations for the biennial event, which starts on Oct. 11 and ends on Oct. 19.

The training program has received Rp 24 billion of this sum and expects Rp 11 billion this week.

The consortium has had cash flow problems recently because some sponsors delayed payments due to the rupiah crisis.

"One way to solve the financial problem was by bridging finance and we have done it, so we have no more problems," he said.

"I'm not authorized to speak. Pak Bambang Trihatmodjo (the consortium's chairman) knows more," he added.

Since the consortium was not allowed to sell the TV rights, which are worth about Rp 40 billion, it raised its funds selling stickers, which sparked a lot of controversy.

The consortium expected to earn Rp 20 billion from sponsorship deals with National Panasonic, Tiger Beer, Konica, Seiko and Satelindo, the official SEA Games partners; and Aqua, Nikon, Gatorade, Garuda Indonesia, Sunrise and Walls, the official suppliers. Each official partner will pay $2 million.

The operational costs are expected to be about Rp 4 billion, including inviting international referees and technical delegates.

Equipment

The yachting and rowing associations have complained that their new equipment has not arrived on schedule.

Okky said the yachting boards were in Tanjung Priok port but customs had not yet released them because it was still waiting for the importer to provide the proper documents.

"When we receive the papers, we can proceed with the next step and then send the equipment," he said.

The rowing association also complained that its boats from Germany, which were scheduled to arrive last month, have yet to arrive.

Okky said the boats were on their way to Jakarta and should arrive tomorrow.

"We need a day to get them out of the port and they will arrive at Jatiluhur dam on Sept. 11, at the latest," he said. (yan)