Minister wants to make sports an industry
Minister wants to make sports an industry
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After being installed as the State Minister of Youth and
Sports Affairs on Thursday, Adhiyaksa Dault broke his fast later
in the day with a group of people and revealed his hopes and
dreams for Indonesia's sports future.
During the gathering held at his house in Kalibata, South
Jakarta, the 41-year-old Adhyaksa, a former leader of the
Indonesian Youth Association (KNPI), said that his office would
be looking to develop sports into an industry that could help the
country's athletes become financially secure.
"In the next five years, I hope that we will start working out
our expectations and putting them into reality," he said.
"Athletes should indeed be able to live on sports."
Adhyaksa, who led the KNPI in the 1999-2002 period, becomes
the sixth sports minister in the history of the on-and-off sports
ministry since 1962.
The portfolio was dropped in 2000 by President Abdurrahman
Wahid, who cited its obscure and overlapping role with that of
the National Sports Council (KONI).
Thereafter, sports affairs were handled by the directorate-
general of youth affairs and sports at the Ministry of Education.
The absence of the sports ministry has also been blamed for
the lack of progress on the sports bill. The government has been
criticized for its lukewarm response to the bill whose initiation
is expected to improve national sports.
KONI still exists, but given its role more on preparing
athletes for multi-event sporting tournaments, the basic needs in
sports have been left by the wayside.
Sports development has stagnated, resulting in several
lackluster performances in international events.
Sport experts and athletes have long complained that athletes
at home are just exploited to win medals, but the government's
appreciation for them such as giving jobs or free education has
never existed.
Adhiyaksa said he would meet with KONI, all the sports
organizations and the directorate-general of youth affairs and
sports at the Ministry of Education to get a clearer idea of the
country's problems.
"I will visit KONI chairman Pak Agum Gumelar and the current
directorate-general of youth affairs and sports to talk about the
country's sport problems, and collect valuable data. Then I'll
make a blueprint," he said.
He said that the meetings would also be important to further
clarify the role of his office and KONI.
"I think that my office will act as the government
representative for sports policy, while KONI and sports
organizations will have to implement those policies," he added.
Adhiyaksa also said he would read up on the sports bill, which
is now at the State Secretariat.
"This bill is important, thus I must learn it ...," he said.
While promising to give equal attention to sports and youth
affairs, Adhyaksa said that he was looking to set up a permanent
fund to ensure smooth sports development programs.
"To achieve that, I need right man in the right place to help
build my office and the country's sport," he said.
Previous Ministers of Sport
1. R. Maladi, Minister of Sport, 1962-1966
2. Abdul Gafur, State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs, 1983-
1988
3. Akbar Tandjung, State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs,
1988-1993
4. Hayono Isman, State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs,
1993-1998
5. R. Agung Laksono, State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs,
1998-1999
6. Mahadi Sinambela, State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs,
1999-2000
Source: JP