Minister urges KONI to discuss Asiad bidding with Malaysia

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono urged the National Sports Council (KONI) to sit down with Malaysia to discuss their bids for the 2006 Asian Games.

Agung said after meeting with KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar and vice chairman Arie Sudewo at his office on Thursday it would be better for the two countries to come together and discuss their bids in a show of ASEAN spirit. ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which both countries are members.

"I hope Malaysia is willing to show the ASEAN spirit by featuring in their bid sports in which Indonesia has an opportunity to win gold medals, which would allow us to support their bid. Failing this, they should officially withdraw from the bidding.

"But if Malaysia fails to show this spirit, I think we must fight to win the bid," he said.

Indonesia will face Malaysia, Qatar, Syria, India, Hong Kong and Uzbekistan in its bid to host the 2006 Asiad. The host country will be named during the Olympics Committee of Asia executive meeting in October next year.

Agung said Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad asked President B.J. Habibie during their meeting in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month to reconsider Indonesia's bid for the Asiad and throw its support behind Malaysia.

During the meeting, Mohammad expressed Malaysia's desire not to compete against Indonesia in the bidding, preferring instead to have Indonesia's support in a show of ASEAN unity.

Agung also said the Indonesian sports community must be realistic in view of the country's current economic turmoil.

"I think the new government, which will be elected in the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly in early November, will prioritize economic recovery. Maybe we'll start to pay attention to other aspects of life, including sports, in 2006," he said.

Agung also urged KONI to pay more attention to its athlete development programs in order to climb back to the top of the athletics ladder in the 2001 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Agung also said the government was giving KONI the green light to continue its training programs for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

"We will wait and see how our relationship with Australia develops. If it gets worse, and hopefully it won't, we have several options. First, we will ask for a security guarantee from the Sydney Olympic Games Organizing Committee for our athletes. Second, we will send a very limited number of athletes.

"But if diplomatic ties between Indonesia and Australia are frozen, we won't send a contingent to the Olympics," he said.

Agung said there was the possibility Indonesia would send a team of athletes to Australia to take part in a duel meet in an effort to improve ties between the two nations, which were damaged by Australia's criticism of Indonesia for its handling of violence in East Timor. (yan)