KONI to seek support for 2006 Asian Games bid

KONI to seek support for 2006 Asian Games bid

JAKARTA (JP): National Sports Council (KONI) officials plan to
meet the state minister of youth affairs and sports on Thursday
to clarify recent newspaper reports which quoted the minister as
saying that KONI should reconsider its intention to bid for the
2006 Asian Games.

"If the government gives us a red light, we'll stop our
efforts, but if it says 'yes', we'll move on," KONI vice chairman
Arie Sudewo said on Tuesday.

"KONI can't go on alone, it all depends on the government.
That's why we'll meet the minister to recheck if his statement
reflects a government decision."

He said KONI was confused by the conflicting reports.

"When we met the President early this year, he approved our
plan to bid as the 2006 Asiad host."

Despite the initial positive response from the government,
KONI said it was yet to receive any concrete assistance for the
bid.

KONI has been campaigning to host Asiad since the 20th
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam last month.
Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Qatar, Uzbekistan and Syria are also
campaigning for the right to host the 2006 Games.

"We also campaign for the bidding through our embassies in
Asian countries," Arie said.

At the SEA Games, chairman of the Kuala Lumpur 2006 Asian
Games bidding committee Tan Sri Dato Haji Muhyiddin urged
Indonesia to withdraw from the bidding and instead support
Malaysia's bid.

However, Arie said he was yet to receive any official letters
from Malaysia requesting the move.

He said if Indonesia did proceed with its bidding plan, it
would not build any new sports facilities, due to the depressed
economy.

"We'll only renovate the Senayan sports complex," he said.

Gelora Senayan executive directors member Muhammad Sarengat
earlier said the Gelora Senayan Management Board would most
likely build an athletes village in an vacant lot in Patal
Senayan, Central Jakarta.

Minister Agung Laksono said earlier that KONI should focus its
efforts on regaining the overall title in the next SEA Games,
rather than expending energy on a Games bid.

"We have a short-term program for the 2001 Games, which is
included in the long-term program of the Golden Garuda project,
which will urge our athletes to finish sixth in the Asiad," Arie
said.

Meanwhile, KONI secretary-general Rudolf S. Warouw said he
would attend the chef de mission meeting of the 2000 Olympic
Games, despite the cooling relations between Indonesia and
Australia.

The meeting, which runs from Sept. 22 through Sept. 25, will
discuss athletes' accommodation, transportation and competition
schedules.

"This is simply sports. We have nothing to do with politics.
We are invited by the International Olympics Committee, and
hopefully there won't be any problems," said Warouw, who plans to
meet the Sydney Olympic Games organizing committee chairman.
(yan)