KONI may get profit share
JAKARTA (JP): Managing director of the Senayan sports complex Yasidi Hambali ruled out yesterday the possibility of handing over management of the venues to the National Sports Council or State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports office, but said they deserved a share of the profits from running the venues.
Yasidi told a media conference that both the sports council and the youth affairs and sports office could simply ask for the funds whenever they needed it, but not for a monopoly of the sports complex.
"The two organizations must be the most dominant members of the Senayan management board because of their responsibilities to develop national sports."
He was commenting on discussions of the possible transfer of right to manage the sports complex as a means to raise funds for sports other than the lottery. The government rejected last week the council's lottery proposal, saying it would tempt people to gamble.
Yasidi said the sports complex belonged to the state under the Gelora Senayan Management Board. Minister/State Secretary is the ex-officio chairperson of the board, with the state minister of housing and settlement, the state minister of youth affairs and sports, minister of public works, the chairman of the National Sports Council, the Jakarta governor and the Jakarta Military commander serving as ex-officio members.
Yasidi failed to explain if either the sports council or the youth affairs and sports ministry had asked for funds to finance particular events. "Better ask that to the board chairman," he said.
The complex's general affairs director Ibnu Sutanto, who accompanied Yasidi, said the board earned between Rp 12 billion to 14 billion (US$923,000 to $1,076,000) a year from the rental of centers comprising the Senayan Indoor Stadium, a tennis complex, the Senayan auditorium and a medical center.
He said some venues, including the Senayan Main Stadium, shooting range and swimming pool, were unprofitable.
Yasidi also denied allegations the board had breached the government policy by permitting private sectors to build business centers in the area.
He said the sports complex was just a part of a 260-hectare plot controlled by the state since its establishment by former president Sukarno in the early 1960s.
"The area's master plan divided the complex into three parts: sports complex, business complex and public office buildings," Yasidi said.
Three hotels plus a business center have been built in the area.
"The master plan says the whole complex must be completed by 2005. That includes the construction of the second indoor stadium, which can accommodate 40,000 spectators, to anticipate our bid to host the Asian Games or the Olympics," he said. (yan)