Minister wants soccer fans to behave properly

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono called yesterday on the country's soccer fans to behave themselves when the All Indonesian Soccer Federation restarts the professional league in October.

Agung said the league's survival prospects would depend very much on the supporters' good behavior, considering the fact that they had been prone to run amok in the past.

"Now that the country's security situation is getting better, I think this is the perfect time for the federation to resume the league. I hope fans can show good manners in stadiums. No more hooliganism.

"Their good behavior will contribute to league's existence in the future. So I beg the soccer fans to help us create a mutually beneficial situation during the league."

Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto gave the federation the green light Wednesday to kick off the professional league's fifth season.

If the plan goes as expected, the new league will feature only 20 clubs, instead of 31 as in previous seasons.

Wiranto, who chairs the Indonesian Contract Bridge Association and the Indonesian Karate-do Federation, told the soccer federation's chairman Azwar Anas that the league should no longer be a forum for hooligans.

The federation stopped the league prematurely in March due to fears that the unfavorable political climate would trigger more violence. Soccer crowds had caused serious damage to a number of stadiums before the league was terminated.

The Asian Football Confederation banned Indonesia from hosting international competitions for six months after hooligans marred the soccer final in the 19th Southeast Asian Games here last October. Indonesia lost the match to Thailand in a penalty shoot- out.

Political uncertainties also cost Indonesia its right to host the second Tiger Cup.

Agung said that if soccer fans managed to maintain a peaceful atmosphere during the league, the Armed Forces would not hesitate to allow the federation to hold more international competitions.

Earlier this week, Agung said he had invited one of Portugal's best soccer teams, Benfica or FC Porto, for a friendly game to boost diplomatic ties between the two countries.

On Wednesday, the national soccer team defeated Sydney United 4-1 in its last warm-up before playing in the Tiger Cup in Vietnam next week. The Rusdy Bahalwan squad will leave for Vietnam on Monday.

The tournament will serve as a yardstick for the national team in its bid to compete in the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in December.

The National Sports Council has said it will only send the team to Bangkok if its reaches the Tiger Cup final. (yan)