PBSI told to avoid conflict in congress

JAKARTA (JP): A former chairman of the Badminton Association of Indonesia, Vice President Try Sutrisno, yesterday urged participants at the association's forthcoming national congress not to exaggerate any conflict when electing their new chairman.

Try, who is chairman of the association's board of patrons, said that the participants must put unity and harmony above all else in the congress, which will take place here from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

"If a nominee comes from a club or an association's provincial branch, it doesn't mean he represents the club or the branch. When they are elected as the new chairman, they will represent Indonesia's badminton interests," Try said, as quoted by former association secretary-general and sports expert Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar.

Try called on Siregar to calm participants who had been publicly nominating Subagyo Hadi Siswoyo, the Army's deputy chief of staff, and businessman Aburizal Bakrie, who is also a former association official, for the chairmanship.

"Pak Try said that the participants will have to combine both people's strength to improve the future development of badminton instead of having them confront each other in the nomination process," Siregar said.

"The congress participants must be able to see someone's capability before asking him to professionally manage the association," he added.

"The participants must find professional people, who want to work all out and want to understand our athletes' problems on and off the court. Officials must prepare the solutions before our athletes even ask for help."

Siregar said the association must concentrate more on its athletes' development program to face the tough challenges of the 13th Asian Games next December in Bangkok and the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

"Pak Try said the congress will reflect the association's image in managing the sport, whether its officials have managed it well or not," he said.

"The congress will also have to discuss its role in spreading badminton and motivating students to become interested in the sport. We have to make videotapes of our champions' skills and movements so the students and the beginners can learn from them," he said.

Siregar said the board of patrons would give their ideas and about badminton development programs to the participants during the congress. (yan)