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)