SEA Games committee struggling with budget
JAKARTA (JP): The 19th SEA Games competition committee has announced it only received Rp 200 million in funds from the Rp 4.5 billion budget.
Competition committee chairman, Hindarto, said Wednesday the committee had already overspent Rp 150 million.
"At first the budget for holding events for the SEA Games was set at Rp 5.35 billion but only 16 percent of the budget was given during the committee's recent meeting," Hindarto said.
According to Hindarto, holding events requires a lot of funds and there are always difficulties obtaining such money.
He said funds were urgently required for local and foreign referees and technical advisors from Asian federations and overseas.
"This does not include the cost of upgrading courses for referees and making their uniforms," Hindarto said.
Hindarto said venues which are reportedly not yet completed should be taken into consideration before technical advisers inspect them.
"If technical advisers inspect the venues and they are not completed, there is a possibility most events will have to be delayed," Hindarto said.
Meanwhile, Saptodarsono of the Senayan sports complex (Gelora Senayan) management has denied allegations of collusion at the complex.
"It's not true that the Senayan sports complex management has been involved in collusion, particularly involving renovation of the venues for the SEA Games," Saptodarsono said Wednesday.
Saptodarsono was referring to allegations contained in a report by A. Mone, a staff member of construction firm P.T. Arhabangun Nusantara.
Mone said he suspected collusion when Gelora Senayan appointed PT Hutama Karya (HK) and PT Pembangunan Perumahan (PP) to renovate the venues at Senayan.
"The two companies later subcontracted small projects to other companies under the flag of the two companies. HK appointed PT Widya Gika Perkasa and PT Tri Patra while PP appointed PD Subur Menteng," Mone said as quoted by Kompas.
Saptodarsono said the renovation of the venues was put up in a tender determined by the State Secretariat.
In another development, the Indonesian Wrestling Association has named 20 of 24 wrestlers as the main team for the Jakarta Games.
The 20 wrestlers consist of 10 for freestyle and 10 for Roman grego style. The freestyle wrestlers include Deddy Damhudi, Ridwan Drama, Andri Fahruriadi, Novi Rizal, Sukahar, Irawan Gultom, Dialex Sinaga, Dedy Supriyadi, Suryadi and Johonly Saragih. Included in the Roman grego wrestling squad are Herman, Wahono, Zulhaidir, Deky Zulkifli, Surya Saputra, Anser Sianturi, Fatur Rahman, Ashari, Robert Kekry and Hery Susanto.
The wrestlers are currently training at the air force headquarters in Cilangkap. (lnt)