KONI accuses House of being apathetic on sports development
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The National Sports Council (KONI) has accused the House of Representatives (DPR) of not caring about sports development.
KONI official I.G.K Manila said the sports bill submitted to the House in October last year was facing a potentially prolonged delay as it was not included on the agenda for the DPR's next sitting session.
But legislator Ferdiansyah of Commission VI, which supervises education and sports affairs, said the bill was still being discussed by the commission and was awaiting a consensus among the House factions.
"Having approved the sports bill for hearing by the House, the steering committee leaves it to Commission VI to deliberate," Ferdiansyah, of the Golkar faction, told The Jakarta Post.
"Hopefully, we'll be able to come to a conclusion by November when the next sitting session of the House opens," he said.
If endorsed during the sitting the law will be passed to the president for approval. "We hope that a sports law will be enacted early next year," Ferdiansyah said.
"KONI must have been misinformed. People might not be monitoring the proceedings closely," he said.
Meanwhile, during a media gathering at KONI headquarters in Central Jakarta on Thursday, Manila, accompanied by KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, said that of about 200 draft bills, the DPR had set aside 113 for discussion during the next sitting session.
"Deplorably, sports is not among them," he said. "Why is the sports bill not included?"
Manila replied: "I don't know. They may consider it unimportant."
"All factions have agreed on the importance of the sports law, but why don't they push the law through as soon as possible?" Manila said.
The need for the formation of a sports bill has been discussed since 2000.
KONI, responsible for sports' development in the country, along with the Education Ministry, has since been campaigning nationwide.
"With no sports law, we are in for uncertainties," Wismoyo lamented.
Discussions with various sectors of the community, including through television and radio, and consultation with sporting bodies throughout Indonesia have been conducted to gather feedback on the bill.
"We have pinpointed 24 items that are urgently needed for us to spur sports' development," Manila, also a member of the consultation team, said.
The team comprised officials from KONI and the Ministry of National Education.
Manila said an area that needed immediate attention related to funding, such as for large multi-sports events like the upcoming 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.
Around 100 Indonesian athletes are expected to take place in The Asian Games from Sept. 29 to Oct. 14.