Strange things afoot in KONI election
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The three-day congress of the National Sports Council (KONI) began on Tuesday with the council chairmanship candidacy becoming a hot issue outside the meeting hall.
"Do we still need permission from our superiors when we take on dual functions in this era? That should be out of fashion by now," Hari Sabarno, Minister of Home Affairs, said after his presentation before the congress participants.
"Go ahead if they want to run the race. That matter should be the domain of the election committee and the candidates themselves," Hari said.
The minister was commenting on Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso's unilateral decision to campaign for the chairmanship without approval from his superiors -- specifically President Megawati Soekarnorputri or the home affairs minister.
While he encouraged Sutiyoso to proceed, Hari, though, conceded that the Jakarta Governor had never applied for approval from the home minister's office.
"Sutiyoso has not yet asked for approval from me nor from the president," Hari said.
Sutiyoso is one of seven names standing in the race to succeed Wismoyo Arismunandar as the KONI chairman for the next four-year term.
However, Rudolf Warouw, a member of the seven-strong screening team, said of the seven only three had qualified with regard to the requirements.
The candidacy requires at least 10 supporters, and for candidates who currently hold political office, a letter of endorsement from their superiors.
The "qualified" three are Arie Sudewo, transportation minister Agum Gumelar and Luhut Binsar Panjaitan.
The other four are Iskandar Zulkarnain, legislator Oesman Sapta Odang, Andhy Gani Nena Wea and Sutiyoso.
Like Sutiyoso, the others had fallen short of either obtaining a sufficient number of backers or getting their superiors' approval.
The race had initially saw ten names but Rita Subowo, Indra Djati Sidi and Toho Cholik Mutohir decided to quit before the congress began.
Warouw, who is also the secretary-general of the outgoing board, said that candidacy would be discussed during a commission meeting before being brought forward to the plenary session on Wednesday.
"Let the plenary meeting decide which of the candidates are eligible to carry on and stand in the election at the end of the congress," he said.
The day before, Joko Purnomo, a failed candidate in the 1997 session, slammed the "permit" requirement as baseless, suggesting all seven candidates be given equal chance to deliver their vision before the convention.
The opening day of the congress allowed a presentation by the national education office, the home affairs ministry and a number of government's officials.
Meanwhile, the congress committee has re-scheduled the planned presentation over the sports agenda for the 2003-2007. Arie Sudewo, who is the deputy chairman of the outgoing board, had been scheduled to be present the topic, but due to protests from the candidates he will be replaced.