VP gives thumbs down to sports achievements

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri used the national sports day on Saturday to lash out at those who would quickly pat themselves in the back, saying she was dissatisfied with the nation's achievements in the field of sports.

"I'm concerned with national athletes' achievements in the international sports arena," Megawati said in her address during the ceremony at the Ancol marine resort, North Jakarta, held to mark the 17th National Sports Day.

In an apparent show of dissatisfaction, the vice president even refused to wear a sports uniform provided by organizers which bore the title Hari Olahraga National (National Sports Day).

"I'm ashamed of wearing the sports uniform because I'm upset with our athletes' achievements... There are many domestic sports events which are merely ceremonial," she said.

"Let's ask ourselves how far our progress has been in the past 17 years," Megawati charged.

Her comments may also be aimed at spurring on the 47 Indonesian athletes scheduled to participate in the Olympic Games in Sydney later this month.

This year's ceremony also comes in the wake of the dissolution of the State Ministry for Youth and Sports which has now come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Education.

Megawati urged athletes and the sports community in general not to be discouraged by the closure of the state ministry.

She said that another institution, the National Sports Council, still exists to help develop sports in Indonesia.

She also asked the general public to support sports as a form of nation and character building.

During the ceremony Megawati also presented 55 awards to athletes, officials and other individuals for their contribution in developing sports.

Among the award recipients were men's badminton singles shuttler Taufik Hidayat and men's doubles shuttler Antonius Budi Ariantho. Their coaches, Agus Dwi Santoso and Mulyo Handoyo also shared the honor.

Other recipients included former Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mahadi Sinambela and his predecessor, Agung Laksono, the chairman of the 2000 National Games (PON) organizing committee and East Java Governor Imam Utomo.

Megawati asked the nation's athletes competing in the Olympic Games to do their best for the nation challenging them to win a medal in the quadrennial event.

Also present in the ceremony were Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso and the Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin. (ivy/byg)