RI Asiad team to fly on military cargo plane
JAKARTA (JP): The government announced the first part of its package to help the Asian Games team yesterday when it said the Air Force had promised to transport the country's 200-member contingent to Thailand on a Hercules military cargo aircraft.
State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono said the Air Force would fly the Indonesian team to Bangkok for free.
"It will be tiring, but I hope it will not prevent our athletes from giving their best in the Games," Agung said after a meeting with National Sports Council Chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar and a group of top sports officials.
Agung said the free flight was confirmed by Minister of Defense/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto in a meeting earlier yesterday. Further technical details will be discussed in due course between the staff of the two ministers.
"Now that we have settled the transportation expenses, we can negotiate other possible government assistance," Agung said.
He said he would ask Minister of Finance Fuad Bawazier to reduce the departure tax to be imposed on Indonesian athletes and officials leaving for Bangkok.
A government regulation issued early last month quadrupled the departure tax imposed on Indonesians going abroad by air to Rp 1 million (US$110).
"I will be glad if the minister of finance exempts our athletes and officials from paying that amount because they will don the national colors," Agung said.
He also said that the National Development Planning Board had agreed to take Rp 3 billion from the state budget to help the national sports council finance all preparations for the Asian Games in Bangkok in December.
The council had previously demanded Rp 15 billion, but the board said it could not afford to provide that amount.
Agung suggested that the council introduce efficiencies and avoid unnecessary expenditure amid the present financial adversity, including not giving bonuses to medal-winning athletes.
"Bonuses of course will motivate athletes to do their best. I will let sports bodies decide their policies on this matter, but I expect their wisdom (to prevail)," he said.
He warned that bonus promises could cause serious problems for the sports bodies in such a crisis.
"I believe our athletes are not only seeking bonuses or gifts, but want to see fair play and sportsmanship," he said.
Whopping bonuses poured in for athletes who won medals and broke records in the Southeast Asian Games here last year.
On the size of the Indonesian team for the upcoming Asiad, Agung said that only potential medal winners would deserve places in the squad.
"In principle, the number of athletes and the events we will take part in are always subject to change, based on the athletes' performances during training," Agung said. (emf)