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)