Gus Dur wants Senayan sports complex be moved to Kemayoran

YOGYAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid said here on Sunday he had just ordered Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso to move Senayan sports complex to Kemayoran, including Bung Karno Stadium and Senayan Basket Hall.

"All the buildings in Senayan sports complex must be removed. We need building-free areas for Jakartans to do sports activities," said Wahid.

Speaking to Yogyakartans at the launching of the Urban Reforestation Movement program at Keparakan village, Gus Dur said that Senayan sport complex must be changed into a nonresidential, nonbuilding area.

He said that the diminishing open spaces in Jakarta had forced residents to utilize the city's main thoroughfares, Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin, for sporting activities. "The residents use the streets for sports on Sundays."

"We need more urban open spaces for sports activities. Most residents in big cities have lost open spaces for such activities," he said.

"The removal of Senayan sports complex obviously will need a lot of money. But money doesn't matter since Jakartans badly need the space. We hope that they will not utilize the streets anymore for sporting activities," he said.

Gus Dur also emphasized the urgency of maintaining the city's green areas.

"The current damage to Indonesia's forests is the fruit of the mistakes of past policies," he said.

"We have to regreen Nusa Tenggara and Kalimantan forests to rejuvenate our forests as the lungs of the world," he added.

Abdurrahman planted a Gayam tree and freed several birds in the ceremony that was also attended by first lady Sinta Nuriah, Minister of Forestry Marzuki Usman, Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin, and Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Forestry Marzuki Usman said that the reforestation movement in Indonesia aimed at protecting the country's great biodiversity.

"We still have many rare species to protect like the Javan rhinoceros, Javan eagle and so on. If this reforestation program doesn't succeed, I'm afraid that Sumatra island will only have shrubs in 2005, and Kalimantan will become a desert in 2010," said Marzuki.

After the ceremony marking the urban reforestation drive, the President went back to Yogyakarta presidential palace to open the Javanese Language Congress at 7.30 p.m. (23)