Extra Rp 6 billion needed for SEA Games
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)