Govt to stay out of KONI chief election

Govt to stay out of KONI chief election

JAKARTA (JP): The government vows not to mix into the National
Sports Council (KONI)'s chairmanship election at the congress
scheduled for Jan. 23-Jan. 25, the Minister of Youth Affairs and
Sports Hayono Isman told reporters yesterday.

"Who will eventually come out as chairman will be solely
determined by the congress," Hayono said.

Hayono's statement indicates he has now adopted a more lenient
approach on the heated debate surrounding the KONI chairmanship
election. The election become a sticky issue recently when he
said the election must by no means be based on seniority because
"it would mean a setback".

The incumbent KONI chairman, Soerono, 71, is a senior retired
general who assumed his position after Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX
died in 1988. Soerono was formally elected as KONI chairman in
1990.

Hayono touched on the seniority issue after KONI's director in
charge of organizational affairs, Basoeki, said that Soerono's
announcement he will run for the election again would deter other
retired armed forces officers from nominating themselves for the
position.

Soerono, responding to this issue, said that "everybody has
the right to become a chairman" and that he had no intention of
preventing other candidates from running for the post.

Hayono stressed that the government's decision not to
intervene in KONI's internal affairs was backed by President
Soeharto.

Hayono added that the government will only give its views on
KONI's organizational structure.

The minister emphasized the importance of chairmanship
regeneration but quickly added that he would not object if the
congress re-elected Soerono.

These were Hayono's latest remark on the issue following the
remarks of other sports figures, most of whom have echoed
Hayono's concern about regeneration.

Basoeki has thrown his weight behind the regeneration idea in
the upcoming KONI administration. Ismangoen Notosaputro, the
chairman of KONI's Central Java chapter in charge of
organizational affairs offered another remark. He said the terms
of office of KONI chairmen must be limited.

Sumaryono, executive chairman of the Badminton Association of
Indonesia (PBSI) said that whoever eventually becomes KONI
chairman, he or she should be acceptable in the eyes of the
government. (arf)