Sport complex management questioned

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has demanded the right to manage the Bung Karno sports complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, which he claims to have been mismanaged by its current management board.

The sports complex is currently managed by Bung Karno Sports Complex Management Board, which was established by the State Secretary.

In accordance with the implementation of Regional Autonomy Law No.22/2000, the sports center should be managed by the city administration, Sutiyoso told reporters last week.

He also said that there were irregularities under the current management, such as the construction of Hotel Mulia and Plaza Senayan.

Sutiyoso denied, however, that his demand to manage the sports center is based on his ambition to reap profits from the sports complex.

"The income of the Jakarta city administration has already reached trillions of rupiah; if necessary, we could cross- subsidize (the sports complex)," Sutiyoso boasted.

When the management is returned to the city administration, the governor plans to fully utilize the sports complex in the manner for which it was originally designed and make it the city's "lung" to counteract the severe air pollution in Jakarta.

Sutiyoso claimed to have discussed the matter beforehand with President Megawati Soekarnoputri.(06)