Habibie visits athletes preparing for SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie visited on Friday athletes preparing for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at Senayan Madya Stadium.

Some 217 out of 348 athletes set to compete in the biennial event in Brunei Darussalam next month attended the modest ceremony.

Also attending the ceremony were State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono, chairman of the National Sports Council (KONI) Wismoyo Arismunandar, and the heads of several sports organizations. They included: Mohamad "Bob" Hasan of the Indonesian Amateur Athletic Association, Rahardi Ramelan of the Indonesian Swimming Association, Primadi Tabrani of the Indonesian Hockey Association, Minister of Defense and Security/Indonesian Military chief Gen. Wiranto of the Indonesian Karate-Do Association and Agum Gumelar of the All-Indonesian Soccer Federation.

Habibie called on the athletes to try their best to set new sporting records.

"The first thing is to maintain your achievement from two years ago, either in national events or SEA Games.

"The next thing is to improve your performances and set national records and even SEA Games records. This is important because you represent all Indonesian people," Habibie told the athletes and coaches.

He urged the athletes to maintain the spirit of sportsmanship.

"You should become accustomed to winning and losing with dignity. If you win this time, you should maintain your achievement, but if you lose, you will not lose forever."

Habibie said he hoped Indonesia would retain its championship title.

"Being a champion continuously is very difficult, but if (the athletes) lose this time, they will win next time. Judging from the medal target, Insya Allah (God Willing), we can be the champions. But I won't precede God, because winning or losing are also determined by the athletes' physical condition and situation.

"The President and all the people in the villages must continue to pray for and support the athletes," Habibie told the media after the ceremony.

Habibie chatted briefly with the athletes. He also posed for a photograph with the swimming team, telling the competitors that he liked the sport.

Swimming coach Gerald Item said he was happy the President could spare some time for his proteges.

"This is the first time Pak Habibie visited us. When I competed in the 1979 SEA Games, Pak Harto (the former president) also visited us at the Senayan sports stadium," he said.

National basketball player Antonius Joko Endratmo said he enjoyed Habibie's visit, but he complained of a long wait at the stadium.

"We had to be there at 8 a.m., but the President arrived at 10 a.m.," he said.

SEA Games training director Imron Z.S. said he hoped the President's visit would boost the athletes' motivation to win medals.

He had a different recollection from Gerald Item regarding presidential interest in Indonesian athletes.

"There has not been a presidential visit since Bung Karno (Indonesia's first president) visited training for the 1962 Asian Games. And I have never seen athletes and the President chat as closely as this," he said.(ivy)