Minister blocks Senayan takeover
Minister blocks Senayan takeover
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung
Laksono rejected yesterday a request by the National Sports
Council to take over the Senayan sports complex for profit
reasons.
Agung said the sports complex was not the right place to raise
funds because it was built to help the country develop its
athletes.
"Many sports organizations have long complained about
expensive rental rates of sports venues whenever they hold
competitions.
"The Senayan sports complex is one of the state's assets which
must benefit national sports before anything else," Agung said.
"Whoever manages the complex should not restrict the use of
the stadium to only once a month, while allowing outsiders to use
it for nonsporting activities," he added.
Agung was commenting on the sports council's wish to take over
the management of the complex from the government, saying it
needed huge funds to finance sports development. The council
targeted the sports complex after the government rejected its
planned lottery.
Council chairman, Wismoyo Arismunandar, said in the short run
the organization needed funds to cover the national contingent's
expenses for the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in December.
The managing director of the sports complex, Yasidi Hambali,
has said either the council or the Office of the State Minister
of Youth Affairs and Sports deserved a share of the profit from
the venues.
He stressed, however, that the complex also included some
nonprofit-oriented venues.
Agung said yesterday he had asked the chairman of the Senayan
Management Board, Akbar Tandjung, to call a meeting to discuss
steps which could allow the sports community to take full
advantage of the venues.
"The members of the board have never met since it was
established in 1988," said Agung.
A 1988 presidential decree stipulates that the minister/state
secretary is the ex-officio chairman of the board and the state
minister of housing and settlement the deputy chairman, with the
state minister of youth affairs and sports, the minister of
public works, the chairman of the National Sports Council, the
Jakarta governor and the city military commander serving as ex-
officio members.
Agung said the board was also expected to draw up a renovation
plan for the 260-hectare sports complex.
He said he was not certain whether the board would talk about
the sports council's request for financial assistance to prepare
for the Asian Games.
The council has reported a Rp 1.8 billion (US$145) deficit
after the government only allocated it Rp 5.2 billion from the
state budget.
Cash-strapped Indonesia plans to send a tiny team to the
Asiad. The council is expected to announce tomorrow the sports
Indonesia will compete in the games. (yan)