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