Shooting association to recruit more officers

Shooting association to recruit more officers

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Shooting Association is planning to recruit more members of the military to back up its bid for a resurgence in the 19th Southeast Asian Games here next year.

Sutiyoso, an executive of the association, told reporters after a meeting with the chairman of the National Sports Council Wismoyo Arismunandar yesterday that only rank and file members would be called up to join a long-term training program at the Army's shooting range in Cilodong, West Java.

"There are some 500,000 military in our country who are used to shooting. Why don't we employ their skills," said Sutiyoso, who is also the Jakarta Military Command Chief of Staff.

Sutiyoso said the association would only get officers in with the consent of their respective superiors.

He said the association will be gunning to take home as many gold medals as possible during the SEA Games shooting competition next year.

Shooting is one of four sports offering a large number of gold medals in SEA Games. The others are track and field, swimming and gymnastics. Thailand scooped 86 golds from the sports to finish unchallenged at the top of the medals table in the 1995 SEA Games.

The association now has 413 athletes of both sexes, 114 of whom are military officers. The 114 officers are made up of 73 from the Army, 32 from the Police, three from the Navy and one from the Air Force.

"We have three squads at the moment. The first comprises national athletes, who don the national colors in international events; the second is young talent marksmen and women; and the third is made up of military officers, especially from the army," Sutiyoso said.

He added that except for the military, the athletes will join a training program in their hometown. Every month a foreign instructor will come to observe the program.

Sutiyoso complained that the association still has to overcome tax barriers in its way to make the plan come true.

"As of today, guns and bullets are regarded as exclusive goods which are subject to a 100 percent tax levy," he said. "Athletes have limited bullets during practice due to the expense."

A police regulation says athletes are not allowed to take their guns home, except for the Jakartans. "It is to prevent our athletes from practicing at home. They must go to the shooting range," Sutiyoso said.

Sutiyoso said the association would also start recruiting high school students who will fill the shoes of current athletes. They will be groomed at the shooting school at the Senayan shooting range. (05)