Jakarta to host 1997 SEA Games
Jakarta to host 1997 SEA Games
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia looks set to play host to the 19th
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 1997 despite the heavy financial
burden.
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman said after a
meeting with President Soeharto on Friday that Indonesia could
not refuse to hold the 1997 Games after both Vietnam and Brunei
announced they were not prepared to stage the regional sporting
meet.
"Politically it's difficult for us to refuse the offer since
we have been dubbed a sport powerhouse in the region," Hayono
said.
The biennial event has been touring the six Southeast Asian
countries in alphabetical order since 1977. Vietnam and Brunei
were originally scheduled to host the 19th and 20th Games after
this year's meet in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Hayono said that President Soeharto asked him to carefully
catalog any constraints, noting that Indonesia will conduct its
general election in the same year. "The President expects that
any preparations for the Games will not play havoc with the
election," said Hayono.
Hayono indicated that the SEA Games would take place several
months after the May election. "I assume we can make it between
September and December," Hayono said.
He rejected the idea of moving the event outside the capital,
as Thailand has done, insisting that only Jakarta is able to
provide the sports facilities and accommodate the many athletes.
The minister is worried about the financial burden, since
Jakarta is also preparing for the 1996 National Games.
"We will have to collect Rp 28 billion (US$12.7 million) for
the SEA Games," Hayono said.
He added that he would include the tentative budget for the
SEA Games in his ministry's proposal for 1996/97 annual budget
which is slated to be submitted to the National Development
Planning Board.
"We are reluctant to beg for more financial aid from
businesses," he said. A group of businesspeople handed over Rp 18
billion (US$8.18 million) to sponsor the national team to compete
in the 18th Games in Chiang Mai.
Indonesia staged the Games twice, in 1979 and 1987 in Jakarta,
since its participation in the sporting event in 1977.
Hayono also said that the government will give private
companies the chance to organize the SEA Games, something that
has not been done before. (amd)