Indonesia's golden couple courting success

By Primastuti Handayani

JAKARTA (JP): Susy Susanti and Alan Budikusuma gained enduring national fame when they took gold in the women's and men's singles in badminton at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Their contribution of the country's first Olympic golds was made even sweeter by the fact they were a couple off the court. They married in February 1997 in a high-profile ceremony.

Eight years after reaching the pinnacle of their careers, Susy and Alan are retired. Although they modestly decline to be called successful, they acknowledged they prepared well in advance for when they would hang up their rackets.

Susy is busy taking care of their children -- Laurencia Averina and Albertus Edward Wiratama -- and also distributing cookies from her mother's factory in Tasikmalaya, West Java. Alan is a distributor for Japanese sports equipment maker Gosen.

At their residence in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, Susy and Alan shared their experiences in preparing for retirement, their hopes for greater government attention to retired athletes and their advice to younger players.

Question: You are considered the most successful couple of athletes in the country. How did you plan for your life after badminton?

Susy (S): Ah, we're not successful ... yet. We are still learning to start our own business. I have planned my future since I was still an athlete. I also listened to my seniors' experience in how they prepared for life after their (sports) careers.

In my heyday, I got medals, prize money and fame. I tried to use them the best I could. The fame also gave me facilities in everything because people know me. It makes it easier for us to handle everything.

I only want to maintain my relationships with many people. They can call me a champion but that was only on the podium. After the medal ceremony, I wasn't the champion anymore. I never considered myself the world's number one shuttler; I don't want to be a high-profile person. If people are nice to me, I have to be nicer to them. And that helped me a lot when we first came into the real world.

Alan (A): Before I totally stopped playing badminton, I tried to maintain good relationships with many people, including Japanese businessmen from Gosen.

Before I started this business, I tried to coach for a year and I found that I wasn't a good coach. I can't, and I didn't feel right in the job. When I decided to give up the coaching job, my Japanese colleagues gave me good news on our cooperation. That's when we started the business.

What did you feel when the first time you decided to quit badminton, giving up all the facilities from the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) and returning to square one?

S: Initially, I was so afraid and worried about whether we could survive the tests in real life. Since I was very young, all I knew was playing badminton. I was not used to the real world. It wasn't easy to decide to start our new life.

But I only thought positively in facing the obstacles. I told myself that it was the right time to be independent. We just wanted to start our own business from a very small scale business.

Since I invested my money in land and houses, I thought I could rent them out to earn money before we were able to stand on our own feet.

Luckily, I'm the kind of person who really likes challenge. I told myself it's more important to try first; whatever the result, just see what happens next.

A: In badminton, I could claim to be an expert. But outside badminton, I'm just an ordinary person who still needs to learn a lot. That's what I told my business partners and I'm glad that they all understand and in fact are willing to help me.

Is there any difference in how you invested your money during your career and now?

S: When I was still playing, I usually saved the prize money and sponsorship payments in the bank. But sometimes I also used it to buy a house or a land. It was in my plan. I didn't care what people thought about me, that they said I was stingy. I didn't care because I had a future to prepare for.

The difference is when we were still playing, we earned money and spent a little on laundry and mobile phone bills.

But now after getting married and retiring, we could only live from our monthly income. Now our expenses are increasing because we are married and have children to feed, we have to pay our maids' wages and other daily needs.

How influential were your parents and coaches in making you aware of the need to plan for the future?

S: I had valuable advice from (real estate tycoon/badminton club owner) Pak Ciputra on how to save and invest my money in houses and land. I never wanted to spend my money on silly things. I always have a plan in my life.

While my coach's (Liang Chiusia) lessons about hard work on the court were very effective in real life. I am very tough when facing problems and it helps a lot.

A: My parents, the club management, my coach have helped me a lot with their teaching. I don't say it's 100 percent work -- it's 1000 percent which has helped us to go through real life.

Now I realize that what my coach told me was right and I feel fortunate that I listened to his instructions.

What are your suggestions to younger players to prepare themselves for when their heyday is over?

A: When I was still coaching, I always told my juniors to prepare better for the future. They must work hard through hard training to enable them to win tournaments which will automatically earn them money. They must save instead of spending money for nothing.

If a shuttler, for example, wants to be rich, then he must compete in many tournaments and win some of them to get the prize money. I always reminded them that after their heydays, PBSI and the National Sports Council (KONI) might not need them anymore. They could end up being abandoned.

Do you think the government and society have given proper attention to athletes?

S: "I don't think so. I think the government could give better treatment to athletes, especially world class athletes. Now in Indonesia, whenever we are retired, KONI and sports organizations and also the government do not pay attention to how we live our lives ... I think the government must give a lifetime warranty to world-class athletes, maybe by providing houses to medalists and (covering) electricity and water. The government could also give athletes jobs as civil servants. It's all just a mechanism, the best thing is their goodwill.

A: I always dream that one day our athletes will receive equal treatment with the high-ranking officials in our bureaucracy. If the government can provide them with free houses with all bills on the country's account, why couldn't it do it for the athletes? ...

In China and South Korea, athletes get free housing. When young, children are removed by the government which later observes their talent and allots them different targets.

Q: What do you think is the impact of the inadequate attention from the government and what is the solution?

A: The impact is that fewer parents will allow their children to become athletes. But what will happen after they retire? And it's a yellow light to KONI.

One way to overcome the problem is to give facilities free of charge for sports development. KONI can also raise funds from state enterprises and the private sector. They money should be used to finance sports development.

Q: As parents, would you allow your children to become athletes too?

S: Definitely not. I experienced myself how hard it was to become a champion. I had to sacrifice my youth. I wouldn't have the heart to see my children experience this. But if they really want to become athletes, then I will fully support them.