Rp 2.5b sports event criticized

Rp 2.5b sports event criticized

JAYAPURA, Papua: The Papua branch of Indonesian National Youth
Committee (KNPI) has drawn fire for organizing an event that cost
the administration about Rp 2.5 billion (more than US$2 million).

The Millennium II Youth Sports and Arts Week (Porseni) was
opened on July 8 by Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and closed on July 14
by Papua Governor Jaap Salossa.

Local activists said the costly event was insensitive in light
of the suffering of the Papuan people.

Institute for Civil Empowerment (ICS) director Budi Setyanto
told The Jakarta Post in Jayapura that Porseni was a waste of
state money.

The money from the provincial budget should have been used to
improve health and education, he said.

Budi questioned the local politicians' commitment to public
welfare.

Papua's KNPI chairman Gerson Jitmau said Porseni was not
merely a sports and arts week, but also aimed to foster unity and
integrity among youths, who were expected to maintain the unitary
state. --JP