Proud Mastrans enjoys cash bonus bonanza

Proud Mastrans enjoys cash bonus bonanza

JAKARTA (JP): Whopping cash bonuses have poured into Mastrans
Bandung Raya's coffer following its triumph in the Indonesian
soccer league championship Sunday.

The winning team was received by West Java governor Nuriana in
Bandung at his office and left with a Rp 150 million (US$63,829)
purse.

"Please don't look at the amount. This is an expression of
love to the team which has done our province proud," Nuriana
said. He said Mastrans should use the money for training
purposes.

Mastrans manager Tri Goestoro commented that with the bonus,
the money in his team's bank account since the start of the
league in September last year had now increased to Rp 600
million.

"Apart from the governor's award, we also received money from
the West Java Soccer Association, the Bandung Raya Foundation and
the management of the club," Goestoro said.

On the occasion, governor Nuriana also showered five other
West Java soccer teams with money for their progress during the
league's season.

Nuriana handed over cash bonuses worth Rp 25 million each to
Persib Bandung, Persikab Kabupaten Bandung and Persita Tangerang
for their success in reaching the league's final 12 round-robin
matches.

He also rewarded PSB Bogor, which has just advanced to the
premier division, with an incentive of Rp 30 million and
Persikota Tangerang with Rp 20 million for its promotion to the
first division.

Mastrans won the league after beating PSM Ujungpandang 2-0 at
the Senayan main stadium here on Sunday.

In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, PSM received a warm welcome
from "a sea of people" despite the loss, Antara reported.

PSM captain Yeyen Tumena exited the airplane holding the
league's runner-up trophy high above his head. Among the VIPs who
welcomed the team were South Sulawesi Deputy Governor Masnawi and
chief of the Wirabuana Regional Military Command overseeing
Sulawesi Maj. Gen. Agum Gumelar.

Fans lined the streets from the Hasanuddin airport to
Ujungpandang's downtown, cheering and parading their newly
arrived heroes, who were riding a convertible. The fanatic fans
went silent while one read a statement asking PSM manager Nurdin
Halik not to resign after the loss. They believed their team lost
only because it was less lucky. They resumed the street fiesta,
traveling around the city in an array of motorcars that caused
heavy traffic jams.

In Surabaya, East Java, Surabaya mayor Sunarto Sumoprawiro
said it never occurred to him that Mitra Surabaya supporters
would go so wild after the team's 2-4 semifinal loss to Mastrans
on Oct. 4. They ate without paying, committed robberies and
destroyed the train carrying them back home from Jakarta.

"This is a bitter lesson for all of us. We should see to it
that such incidents never happen in the future," Sumoprawiro said
in a press conference. He expressed his suspicion that they were
not the "real" supporters he had sent to Jakarta in four buses.

State-owned railway company spokesman Helmy Azis said 31
people were injured during the hooliganism, which caused Rp 319
million in material losses. (arf)