SEA Games torch not to be airlifted

JAKARTA (JP): The 19th SEA Games torch will not be airlifted as planned but will be relayed from Borobudur temple to Jakarta, an official said Monday.

Torch relay organizer Johanes Karsan said the airlift plan was canceled following a decree from the organizer Saturday.

"There were no funds to airlift the torch, so it was decided to relay it from Borobudur to Jakarta," Johanes said as quoted by Antara.

Johanes said airlifting the torch would have been expensive and relaying it was more efficient and probably cheaper. "With an airplane, we would have to pay to lease it although the government would help bear the cost."

The SEA Games torch will be lit with the aid of a huge magnifying glass at 10 a.m. on Sept. 26, at the ancient Buddhist Borobudur temple, about 40 kilometers northwest of Yogyakarta.

National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar will witness the lighting of the torch.

On Sept. 27, the torch relay will begin. It will be marched through Yogyakarta, Central Java, East Java, West Java and Jakarta.

The torch is expected to arrive at Pasar Jumat, Ciputat, on Oct. 10 and the Bogor regent will hand it over to the South Jakarta Mayor at 10 a.m.

The torch will then be paraded along Jl. Fatmawati, Jl. Wijaya, Jl. Kapten Tendean, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto, Jl. Sam Ratulangi, Jl. Menteng Raya and then to the City Hall.

From 150 meters before City Hall, representatives of each country's embassy, and public figures, including ministers, will participate in the ceremony, passing the torch from hand to hand until it reaches Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja.

On Oct. 11, it will be carried from City Hall along Jl. M.H. Thamrin to Jl. Jend. Sudirman and from there to Senayan Main Stadium.

The torch arrive at the stadium for 4 p.m. when President Soeharto will to officially open the biennial event which will end on Oct. 19.

Organizing Committee municipal deputy secretary Mawardi recently said that Jakarta's administration had only a Rp 150 million budget for the torch ceremony.

"Jakarta's administration will have to work hard to raise funds for the SEA Games torch relay in the capital. The organizers promised to add Rp 25 million but this is still not enough," Mawardi said.

Mawardi said the torch ceremony budget was to cover the cost of erecting 10 stages to represent each participating SEA Games country, along Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said. (lnt)