Jakartans offer cool welcome to Thomas Cup team
Jakartans offer cool welcome to Thomas Cup team
JAKARTA (JP): Jakartans were apparently still recovering from
the nightmare of recent riots yesterday, with few turning out to
cheer a parade honoring their men's badminton squad after a
successful defense of the Thomas Cup.
Despite the quiet reception, members of the squad were all
smiles while waving to bystanders along the way from the National
Sports Council office in Senayan to City Hall on Jl. Medan
Merdeka Selatan, in Central Jakarta.
The Thomas Cup the squad retained Sunday in Hong Kong was
shown off during the short procession passing the city's main
thoroughfares of Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin.
Small crowds of junior high school students seen at some bus
shelters waved handkerchiefs and repeatedly yelled: "Ricky!". The
popular Ricky Subagja formed an unbeatable pair with long-time
partner Rexy Mainaky during the tournament.
The parade was in stark contrast to the reception two years
ago when almost a million people took to the streets across the
city to welcome the winning Thomas Cup and Uber Cup teams.
Indonesia failed to retain the women's Uber Cup title last
Saturday after losing 1-4 to China.
Doubles specialist Rexy said the lackluster welcome did not
bother him at all.
"I'm not disappointed with the way the public has received us.
I fully understand that it had something to do with the recent
events here," Rexy said as quoted by Antara.
"How can we expect them to come out and join a victory
celebration with us just after they lost some of their family or
relatives," he added.
Riots and looting shook the capital city and its satellite
towns of Tangerang, Depok and Bekasi a day after four Trisakti
University students were shot dead May 12 in a rally demanding
economic and political reforms.
The following riots left 500 people dead.
The parade followed a meeting with President B.J. Habibie at
his Bina Graha office. Habibie thanked the players, praising them
for their superb performance despite the political tension at
home.
Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare and Poverty
Eradication Haryono Suyono, State Minister of Youth Affairs and
Sports Agung Laksono, Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung,
chairman of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) Subagyo
Hadisiswoyo and chairman of the National Sports Council Wismoyo
Arismunandar were present at the presidential reception.
During the parade, members of the Thomas Cup squad and manager
Agus Wirahadikusumah led the pack in an open van with the coveted
trophy in their hands.
Two buses carrying the Uber Cup squad and other team officials
followed. Dozens of motorcyclists on Harley Davidsons flanked the
badminton squads.
Traffic police facilitated the passage of the procession. It
took them only half an hour to finish the parade.
A traditional music performance, Gambang Kromong, and a pair
of giant puppets, ondel-ondel, greeted the troupe at the gate of
City Hall.
A throng of junior high school students and municipality
employees came up to see the badminton heroes and heroines face
to face. Some of them asked if players would be in photographs
taken of them.
The deputy governor in charge of people's welfare, Djaelani,
received the badminton squads on behalf of Governor Sutiyoso, who
is now in Japan. (emf/prb)