Menteng stadium to become park

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso said on Monday that the city administration would not convert the Menteng sports stadium in Central Jakarta into a commercial area.

"No, there is no plan to convert the stadium into a commercial area as the city needs more green spaces to meet our target of 13 percent by 2010," he said, adding that currently green spaces in the capital accounted for only 9 percent of Jakarta's 650 square- kilometer area.

Speculation has been rife that Sutiyoso would turn the stadium into a commercial area after the city administration allocated no money for its development as a park.

Sutiyoso had said that the city administration would need about Rp 40 billion (US$4.21 million) to develop the soccer field as a park.

The Menteng sports stadium is currently used as a training ground by city soccer team Persija, which has long claimed that the stadium belongs to it.

Sutiyoso stressed Monday that stadium belonged to the city administration and that Persija would have to train at the Lebak Bulus stadium in South Jakarta. --JP