Students protest C. Java PON bid

Students protest C. Java PON bid

SEMARANG (JP): About 50 students staged on Wednesday a protest
against a provincial administration plan to host the 2004
National Games (PON).

"People in Central Java are poor and about 11 million children
suffer from malnutrition. Why is the Central Java administration
willing to spend Rp 200 billion (US$29.4 million) to stage the
Games. It's arrogant. The money would be better used to feed the
children and eradicate poverty in the province," the students
said in a statement delivered in front of the Central Java
administration office.

"The plan is ironic. If the administration insists on staging
the Games, students will also insist on stopping it. We'll keep
on fighting the administration's plan. We urge the administration
to cancel the plan," said coordinator Fata Muriana.

The students hailed from a variety of non-governmental
organizations, including the Wahyu Sosial Foundation, Setara,
ASA, PKBI and the Semarang People's Advice Forum.

Central Java is bidding to host the 2004 Games together with
West Java, North Sumatra and South Sumatra. The National Sports
Council (KONI) will announce the host of the Games at a national
congress in February. (har)