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)