Juwono appointed sports minister for 10 days

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono has doubled his duties by becoming state minister of youth affairs and sports with only 10 days remaining before a newly elected president establishes a new Cabinet.

Sports minister Agung Laksono resigned after he was elected a member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) for 1999 to 2004, representing the Golkar Party for Southeast Sulawesi.

Juwono was designated his successor under a presidential decree issued on Oct. 6. He told reporters after his installment ceremony that he would continue the effort to complete Agung's tasks.

"It's very difficult to create brilliant programs in only 10 days. I was given this task by the President because my ministry has a close relationship with youth affairs and sports. There's no other choice," he said.

Agung served as minister for 18 months. He spent two months in the Seventh Development Cabinet of president Soeharto and another 16 months in the Reform Cabinet of incumbent President B.J. Habibie.

"My office term was short but being a minister in the reform era is very meaningful," he said.

Agung said his office could not be merged with the education and culture ministry because the former played a significant role in helping to unite the country's youth to avoid national disintegration.

Commenting on the 19th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games underwriting consortium debt among unresolved problems of his office, Agung said the financial auditing job was taken over by the office of the coordinating minister for development supervision and state administrative reforms.

"There will be a new audit report which is to be followed by a new agreement. I don't know if the government will reduce the debt payment or the interest. All of it will be adjusted with the new agreement," he said.

Agung said all provinces must set up regional branches of the office of the state minister of youth affairs and sports at the latest by 2001. He also planned to provide greater autonomy to the branches to develop sports in respective areas through their own fund-raising efforts.

Meanwhile, the National Sports Council (KONI) announced on Tuesday that it planned to provide guidance to athletes to enlighten foreigners on Indonesia's domestic situation.

KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar said he asked his officials to issue the guidance to enable national athletes competing abroad to explain the latest situation in the country without being disgraced and criticized by foreigners.

Wismoyo's directive followed a report that young driver Ananda Mikola was forced to remove an "Indonesia on the move" banner from his car during the fifth race of the Formula 3000 at the Misano circuit in Italy in late September following media reports about violence in East Timor.

"We must have guidance on answering questions about the political situation and security in Indonesia. The guidance should be jointly formulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Bakin) and Armed Forces Headquarters," he said. (ivy)