Persik to open defense against PKT
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Persik will launch its title defense against Pupuk Kaltim (PKT) Bontang in Kediri, East Java, as the 2004 season of the Indonesian soccer premier league kicks off on Sunday.
Persik was the 2003 sensation, taking the trophy the very year it was promoted to the premier league.
The 2004 league will be the 10th season of the league since it was revamped in 1994, when two different leagues were merged into one to become the Liga Bank Mandiri.
The 2004 season, which sees 18 soccer clubs competing, provides Rp 1.75 billion (approximately US$285,882) in cash prizes.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri is expected to attend the opening ceremony in Kediri. Sunday will also see six other matches at six different venues across the country.
In Jakarta, Persija Jakarta will host Persita Tangerang, while in Cilegon, Banten, Pelita KS will host PS Semen Padang.
PSMS Medan, which has just made a return to the premier league, will challenge host Persikota in Tangerang while inaugural champion Persib, which narrowly escaped relegation, will play PSPS Pekanbaru in Bandung, West Java.
PSS Sleman greets PSM Makassar in Yogyakarta, and Deltras Sidoarjo will visit Surakarta for a match with Persijatim.
Besides PSMS, Persebaya is also making a return to the top flight while Persela Lamongan will be competing as a newcomer after winning a promotion slot for this year.
Persebaya and Persela will start their matches on Wednesday, as will PSIS Semarang and Persipura Jayapura.
The 2004 season will incorporate 296 matches, 45 of which will be jointly broadcast live by ANTV and SCTV TV stations, according Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) chairman Nurdin Halid as reported by Antara.
Nurdin said the opportunity to broadcast the remaining 251 games remained open to any interested station.
Nurdin said that as the general election would be held in April, during which security could be unpredictable, the PSSI had taken precautionary measures regarding security.
He said he had met with the National Police chief to discuss security issues.
"The build-up to the general election should not interfere with the league," he said.
However, just two days before the kick-off several problems remain. One relates to the eligibility of some of foreign players.
Out of the 76 foreign players in the league, 17 have yet to obtain International Transfer Certificates (ITC) as required by the international soccer governing body, FIFA.
Andi Darusalam, a PSSI official in charge of the league, said that unless they could submit the certificates they would not be allowed to play.
"The PSSI could be sanctioned by FIFA if it allows foreign players without ITCs to play in the competition," Andi told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
He said that the certificates would be acceptable even it they were forwarded in the form of faxed documents.
Sunday's fixtures: Pelita KS Cilegon v Semen Padang Persija Jakarta v Persita Tangerang Persikota Tangerang v PSMS Medan Persib Bandung v PSPS Pekanbaru Persijatim Solo v Deltras Sidoarjo Persik Kediri v Pupuk Kaltim Bontang PSS Sleman v PSM Makassar
Wednesday: Pelita KS Cilegon v Persita Tangerang Persija Jakarta v Semen Padang Persikota Tangerang v PSPS Pekanbaru Persib Bandung v PSMS Medan Persijatim Solo v Pupuk Kaltim Bontang Persik Kediri v Deltras Sidoarjo