Rp 6b more to make Games bigger splash

JAKARTA (JP): An extra Rp 6 billion (US$2.5 million) will be spent to make the 19th SEA Games ceremonies more spectacular, organizers said yesterday.

Rudolph S Warouw, the organizing committee's secretary- general, said the committee had raised its budget from Rp 95 billion to Rp 101 billion after its ceremonial and facilities departments had submitted new plans.

"With the old budget, we were afraid we couldn't present interesting performances," Rudolph said.

The committee gets its money from the Games consortium, chaired by President Soeharto's son Bambang Trihatmodjo.

"It's impossible to stage an opening ceremony with only Rp 1 billion," he said.

The organizers had planned a modest performance, combining traditional dance and gymnastics, at the opening and closing ceremonies.

Up to 14,300 people, including 6,000 dances and 6,000 students, will take part in the opening ceremony on Oct. 11.

But only 3,000 people, including 1,200 dances, will take part in the closing ceremony on Oct. 19.

Rudolph said these ceremonies and the Games torch-lighting ceremony, at the Borobudur temple, would cost Rp 10 billion, Rp 4 billion more than the initial budget had allowed.

The Games torch will be lit at the temple, about 40 kms northwest of Yogyakarta, using a huge magnifying glass. The torch will carried in relay to Jakarta.

"Rp 10 billion (for the ceremony) is the maximum budget. We'll try our best to minimize costs," Rudolph said.

He urged sporting organizations to list any equipment that would have to be imported for the Games so that organizers would have more time to buy it.

Venues

Rudolph said the facilities department wanted to raise its budget from Rp 7 billion to Rp 9 billion because the Senayan Sports Complex needed renovating.

The committee's competition deputy, M. Hindarto, said a new hockey field and two squash courts would have to be built at the complex.

"Construction of the hockey field is planned to start next month and must be finished in September," Hindarto said.

"All venues, especially their restrooms need renovation. We don't want to be embarrassed by the restrooms, do we," he said.

The squash courts are expected to be built under the 100,000- seat Senayan Main Stadium because the International Sports Center Indonesia in Ciputat, South Jakarta, where local players usually train, is inadequate for international events.

Hindarto said air conditioners would be installed in the Basketball Hall and three gymnastics halls. Many athletes have complained about the heat inside these halls.

The floor of the Senayan Badminton Hall on Jl. Asia Afrika will also be renovated.

"Many players have suffered knee injuries while playing at the hall. We're going to fix it," Hindarto said.

The velodrome in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, is being renovated. (yan)