Sports law suggested for improved performance

Sports law suggested for improved performance

JAKARTA (JP): A comprehensive sports law will be necessary to
help boost Indonesia's sportsmen and women to achieve better
results and to regulate all sports-related issues.

Golkar legislator Ferdiansyah, of the House of Representatives
Commission VI overseeing religious and human resources affairs,
told reporters on Friday: "The law will regulate four main
issues; the share of responsibility between government and
society, sports institutions, the reward and punishment
procedures and other supporting matters."

"The law will only provide general guidelines, as more
detailed regulations will be arranged by government regulations
or presidential decrees."

"Currently we are still collecting feedback from the sports
profession and other related agencies in order to gain a wider
perspective."

"Officials of the tax and excise directorate general, for
example, said they would study the possibility of providing tax
incentives to large companies that make substantial contributions
to sport."

"They will also study the possibility of freeing income tax
for athletes' prize money," Ferdiansyah said, adding that the law
would not cite the amount designated for reduction.

The commission is deliberating a sports bill which is expected
by the end of this year.

He also said members of the sports profession desperately
needed the law particularly since the government dismissed the
state minister of youth affairs and sports office.

"The government established a new sports directorate general
under the national education ministry to take over the minister's
office job. But we must know about the different roles of
authority and responsibility between the directorate general and
the National Sports Council (KONI)."

The directorate general will handle students sports activities
in cooperation with KONI in order to achieve better results.

Director general of sport, Toho Cholik Mutohir, said his main
priority was the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games that is due to take
place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from Sept. 8 to Sept. 17.

"There are also other important issues but our participation
in the SEA Games is our top priority to raise national pride at
the moment," he was quoted as saying by Antara news agency on
Thursday.

"My main concern is how to fulfill the SEA Games budget. I
need to have a meeting with KONI to get a clearer view on it
before reporting to Minister Muhaimin Yahya."

"I don't know where the money will come from to cover the SEA
Games budget but I expect KONI has already secured sources," said
Cholik who is also rector of the State University of Surabaya. He
further added that he wanted to turn sport into a business
activity in Indonesia.

KONI needs Rp 67 billion (US$6.7 million) to finance
Indonesia's preparation for the Games but, up until today, it has
only managed to collect Rp 10 billion including an unconfirmed Rp
5 billion donation from Gelora Bung Karno Management Board.

Meanwhile, KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar expected Cholik
to continue the ambitious long-term Golden Garuda project aimed
at supporting athletes' development until 2006.

"The new director should acquire first-hand information on the
movement because it involves many students throughout the country
from the Students Training Center (PPLP)," he said as quoted by
Antara.

"We expect to net potential athletes for the Doha 2006 Asian
Games."

Wismoyo also urged Cholik to materialize the government's
financial commitment to finance preparations for Kuala Lumpur.
(nvn)