Surjadi backs athletes village plan

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja fully supports the 1997 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) athletes village construction plan on a four-hectare former shooting range in Senayan, according to National Sports Council deputy chairman Arie Sudewo.

"Now that the governor has approved the plan, nothing should hinder it from being carried out," Arie said after meeting with Surjadi at City Hall yesterday.

Surjadi's oral backing can be regarded as "approval" from the city administration, which, as deputy governor Tubagus Rais put it, had to hold up issuing the construction permit because it has not received the construction plan.

Two weeks ago, the underwriting consortium responsible for building the village complained that it had yet to receive approval from the city administration although it said it had sent the construction proposal in July.

Surjadi's remarks also serve as the final approval the consortium, led by President Soeharto's son Bambang Trihatmodjo, needs.

Approval has already come from Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono. The Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and chairman of the patron board of the Games organizing committee, Azwar Anas, has also sent a letter to the Jakarta governor urging the city administration to help solve "all the technical problems" affecting the village.

The 1,000-room village is expected to accommodate about 4,300 athletes from the 10 participating countries. Construction costs are estimated at US$70 million. With the Games slated for Oct. 11 to Oct. 19 next year, the consortium has 10 months to complete the project. It has yet to appoint contractors or fix the construction schedule. (04/arf)