Gus Dur to open Boy Scout meet

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: President Abdurrahman Wahid is slated to open the National Boy Scout Jamboree 2001 at the tourist resort of Baturraden in Purwokerto on Wednesday.

Spokesman for the jamboree organizing committee Didi Rudwiyanto confirmed this on Monday, saying that the President would open the ten-day jamboree, while Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri was expected to close the jamboree on July 14.

"Until today there has been no news about any cancellation or delay," Didi said.

He said that 125 groups had arrived in Baturraden. "We are expecting 161 more groups, including 10 groups from neighboring countries which have yet to confirm their participation.

Didi said that the jamboree would need a total of Rp 15 billion, half of which would come from the provincial budget.

Unconfirmed reports said that the President had agreed to donate Rp 500 million for the event and that the Ministry of National Education had donated Rp 200 million.

The organizing committee had yet to receive the President's donation, a source said. (45)