Fri, 28 Feb 2003

Minister elected KONI's new chairman

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Transportation Minister Agum Gumelar was voted in as the new chairman of the National Sports Council (KONI) as a three-day congress ended here on Thursday.

The retired four-star Army general, who also heads the country's soccer governing body PSSI, won the majority of the 79 votes in its first election.

Agum beat the other three candidates by taking 42 votes. Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso finished in a distant second with 22 votes with Luhut Binsar Panjaitan and the outgoing KONI deputy chairman Arie Sudewo taking eight and six respectively. One vote was declared invalid.

The 79 votes in the ballot were made up of 49 KONI-affiliated sports organizations and the KONI provincial chapters, which are known as KONIDA.

It was the first time that KONI has turned to voting in electing the new chairman to replace Wismoyo Arismunandar, who was in his post for two four-year terms.

The so named "Team of Seven", which was assigned to find candidates, listed an initial seven names but during the last commission meeting narrowed its shortlist to the final four.

The other three -- Iskandar Zulkarnain Adisapoetra, Oesman Sapta Odang and Andhy Gani Nena Wea -- were deemed unqualified for the election, falling short of meeting certain criteria.

Before the poll started, the four candidates were given 15 minutes each to deliver their vision and mission, all revolving around the issue of improving Indonesia's recent poor performance in international competitions.

Having been with Wismoyo for eight years, Arie, who was given the first chance to speak, boasted his superior knowledge about problems facing the national sports and therefore he would most qualified to rectify them.

Money was the main issue in Sutiyoso's speech, wherein he reiterated his pledge to provide more funding for KONIDA and a number of other sports organizations.

Luhut boasted of his experience and international connections, at times spoke of his "better" academic record, in an entertaining and eloquent speech.

However, Agum garnered the most votes as he layed his ideas for a new paradigm wherein there would be no hierarchy between KONI and its sports affiliations in the effort to build national sports.

Because he earned more than 50 percent of the votes there was no need for a second phase of the election.

"Mr. Agum has brought us a new paradigm. Chairing KONI is a volunteer job, so that should rid us of the old superiors (KONI) and inferiors KONIDA) pattern," Chairul Tanjung, the chairman of the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI), commented.

Oyong Karmayuda, from the pencak silat association, said that apart from his lobbying team, a low-profile personality of Agum was the key to his success to the KONI post.

Agum will be given 30 days to form the new board of KONI assisted by Rita Subowo, a representative from the sports organizations, and the KONI provincial chapter of South Sumatra.