Sports council wants to intensify communications with media
Sports council wants to intensify communications with media
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The National Sports Council (KONI) is seeking more intensified
communications with the media in its latest move to quell
transparency concerns about its management.
"The media is indispensable to the buildup of sports and we
want them to take a pro-active role," KONI deputy chairman Arie
Sudewo said on Friday.
KONI suggested a number of mechanisms it would probably carry
out to meet its ends.
Arie said that KONI planned to provide a special session for
each of its top officials to give a presentation about their
jobs.
"This should be done in order to make it clear what each of
them does and how they do it," Arie said.
A top official, assigned on a shift schedule, would be on
stand-by to help reporters, he said.
KONI is also mulling an unprecedented policy to visit the
editorial departments of a number of media organizations for
sports discussions.
"We are open to criticism. Pinpoint our weaknesses and tell us
how to improve. We also want balanced reporting in that the media
should not indulge in portraying a negative image of KONI.
"But the positive side is that the media will gain a
comprehensive portrayal of KONI," Arie said.
He was accompanied by Ahmed Solihin from the media and
promotion department, Fritz Simanjuntak from the industry and
business commission, and Togi Hutagaol from the planning and
funding department.
Arie might deny it, but the meeting seemed to have been held
to combat recent allegations that KONI was employing too many
personnel and that it was less than transparent in its financial
accountability.
Seen from the organizational tree, KONI, under former Army
Chief of Staff Wismoyo Arismunandar, has eight top posts, six
departments, and nine commissions with personnel numbering about
65.
The number is far below that of Surono, Wismoyo's predecessor,
who employed about 24 "high-ranked" personnel.
The financial report about Indonesia's participation at the
2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur was reported
publicly through advertisements in two leading local newspapers
on Jan. 30, but the leftover fund, which amounts to Rp 10.7
billion (US$1 million) has for now missed a follow-up.
KONI promptly responded to the accountability inquiry, but
only after the case was raised during Friday's press conference.
Arie promised to release the report next Wednesday.
"It will be next week, certainly. Pak Togi and the secretary-
general (Rudolf Warouw) will be in charge. Pak Togi is not
prepared yet," he said.
Meanwhile, Togi confirmed money was leftover from the SEA
Games, saying it would be allocated for the upcoming Asian Games
in South Korea.
"The money is still around. It is ready for immediate use only
for emergency needs," he told The Jakarta Post on a separate
occasion.