Olympic Open to go on as scheduled despite security fears

Olympic Open to go on as scheduled despite security fears

JAKARTA (JP): Organizers said on Tuesday the Rp 350 million
(US$30,000) 2001 Olympic Open golf tournament would go ahead as
scheduled from July 31 to Aug. 3 at the Taman Dayu golf course in
Pandaan, East Java, despite security concerns.

"We have received the green light from local authorities to
hold the tournament as scheduled. Security authorities have also
provided the necessary security arrangements," the chairman of
the organizing committee, Eddy Gunawan, said during a media
conference on Tuesday.

"We are also providing special accommodations in Taman Dayu
for foreign golfers so they have direct access to the course," he
said.

The People's Consultative Assembly is scheduled to hold a
special session on Aug. 1 to demand President Abdurrahman Wahid
account for his rule.

There are fears that the President's supporters will hold
violent rallies before, during and after the session. This is
especially true in East Java, where the President enjoys his
strongest support.

Taman Dayu general manager Hausman T. Babu said the local
authorities had discussed these security concerns.

"Since the local authorities said it was OK to continue as
planned, we don't think there is a problem. Especially since past
riots have taught us all to act more mature.

"Besides, the golf course can only be reached via a three-
kilometer-long access road from the highway, and is located at
the foot of Welirang mountain," he said.

The secretary-general of the Indonesian Professional Golf
Association (PGPI), Oong Wiradinata, said he expected an
Indonesian golfer would win the tournament.

"Swede Stephen Atako-Lindskog grabbed the maiden title in 1999
while Wan Ter Chiang from Chinese Taipei won in 2000," he said.
"It's time for one of our own golfers to win the tournament."

Maan Nasim became the first Indonesian to win a title this
year, triumphing at the Bukit Darmo Open at the Bukit Darmo golf
course in Surabaya in April.

Sanusi followed his lead by winning the Japan Jagorawi Golf
Foundation Open at the Jagorawi Golf and Country Club in Bogor in
May.

Four members of Indonesia's Southeast Asian Games golf team,
who will compete in Kuala Lumpur in September, hope to use the
tournament as a warm-up for the Games. They are Indra Hermawan,
Iin Setiawan, Inam Zarems and Suprapto.

The golfers, however, first must pass a qualifying school held
on July 30 before they can participate in the event. (nvn)