Sport bodies receive Rp 600m aid

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman yesterday handed over financial aid worth Rp 600 million (US$263,852) to sports organizations in 10 provinces, the Indonesian Aero Sports Association and a badminton training center in Bandung.

"The main objective of extending the aid is to arouse the public's interest in sports. At present, less than three percent of the community are really active in sports. This is regrettable," Hayono said.

However, he warned the aid recipients of any misuse of the funds for unnecessary sports projects, such as constructing a new soccer stadium.

"Be wise in managing the funds," Hayono told the aid recipients, adding that communities in certain regions have a very strong interest in sports but lack inadequate sports facilities.

He noted that the government had also planned to extend financial help to beef up the development of priority sports, the sports Indonesians excel in or most popular sports among Indonesians, such as badminton, soccer, archery and boxing.

In the first instance, the funds should be used for talent scouting and promoting sports in the community," Hayono said.

On the same occasion, Hayono also reminded the national team for the 18th Southeast Asian Games in December of a hard-fought struggle to retain its overall title.

"Experience in the 1985 SEA Games in Thailand where we lost our overall championship title shows that it's going to be hard for us to top the medals tally this year," Hayono said. The games, slated for Dec. 7 to Dec. 19, will take place in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Hayono said that the fact that Indonesian athletes finished poorly at the just concluded Asian Track and Field Championships was another strong indication that Indonesia may fail to shine at the upcoming Games.

"Indonesian athletes who passed through the qualifying rounds clocked longer than their Malaysian or Thai counterparts," said the minister. (arf)