Govt to help fund Olympics training
JAKARTA (JP): State Secretary Ali Rahman has approved the Gelora Senayan Management Board's (BPGS) plan to financially assist the National Sports Council (KONI) in its preparations for athletes competing in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney in September.
Chairman of the Gelora Senayan Executive Directors (DPGS), Yasidi Hambali, told reporters on Wednesday that Ali, who is also BPGS chairman, had agreed to hand over Rp 2 billion (US$276,820) to enable KONI start its centralized training program on Feb. 1.
"Based on our meeting on Tuesday evening, the state secretary agreed to help KONI. However, the DPGS's help was only complimentary. The government must take full responsibility in financing the training programs," he said.
Yasidi said Ali would meet with BPGS's vice chairman, State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mahadi Sinambela, and KONI's chairman, Wismoyo Arismunandar, to discuss the mechanism to contribute funds for national sports development in the future.
"We don't want the decision to be made only by BPGS's chairman, but rather collectively by the three parties," he said.
KONI has requested Rp 6.9 billion from the government to finance its Olympic training program, but it has yet to receive any response. It has also asked BPGS to provide Rp 5 billion and BPGS has approved to hand over Rp 2 billion in advance.
Wismoyo said on Tuesday if there were not enough funds to stage the training, he would have to ask KONI's provincial branches and sports organizations to provide special funds for their athletes who have qualified for the Olympics.
So far, 13 Indonesian athletes have qualified from track and field, swimming, diving, archery, weightlifting and windsurfing. Some 20 shuttlers are expected to join the squad.
Yasidi also said that Ali had urged the DPGS to keep communicating with the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) over some of its assets, which have been taken over by the agency.
"So far, we haven't made any progress. It's not a simple procedure as we have to speak with our five partners and IBRA," he said.
The five partners are PT Indobuildco, the owner of the Jakarta Hilton International Hotel and Apartments; PT Mulia, the management of Hotel Mulia Senayan; PT Graha Sidang Pratama, the management of the Jakarta Convention Center; PT Gelora Waskita Karya, whose construction of Senayan Tower was halted due to the monetary crisis; and PT Manggala Pratama, which built the BPGS's office.
According to IBRA, PT Indobuildco is the 32nd largest debtor with a total debt of Rp 836 billion (US$120.3 million), while PT Mulia is in the 42nd position out of 1,689 debtors, with a total debt of Rp 631.1 billion. (yan)