VP lends moral support to RI Asiad team
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Vice president Hamzah Haz has urged the Indonesian sporting delegation to the Asian Games to do its utmost for the sake of the nation and the country, according to a contingent's official.
"The vice-president said he was eager for the athletes to excel their effort to gain an achievement at the Asian Games," Imron ZS, who is in charge of operational affairs, told reporters at the headquarters of the National Sports Council (KONI) here on Wednesday.
The Asian Games will run in Busan, South Korea, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 14.
"Although we will compete only in 20 sports, or more than 50 percent from 38 sports on the list, we are lucky that we are still able to send representatives to Busan given our unfortunate condition in the wake of the monetary crisis," Hamzah said as quoted by Imron.
Imron said that except for the yacht team, all the contingent members including officials and representatives of KONI- affiliated sports organizations were received by Hamzah Haz at his office in Central Jakarta.
Indonesia will go to Busan with 160 members, 100 of whom are athletes from 20 sports. The yacht team comprising of athletes Oka Sulaksana, Fadly Faisal Yusuf and manager Gurhadi Kartasasmita have already headed to Busan on Saturday.
Earlier, KONI's officials, led by chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, was invited to a breakfast party, hosted by Busan Mayor Ahn Sang-young.
The informal meeting, which was held at the Shangri-La Hotel, was part of Ahn's Asian tour ahead of the opening of the Asian Games. His next stop will be in Vietnam.
The vice president, according to Imron, reminded the athletes and officials of two fighting elements they could not afford to lose out while in matches.
"We should not only use "muscle" but also "brain" so that we can optimize what we have for our cause," Hamzah said as quoted by Imron.
When asked if Hamzah spoke about his wish about the medals the contingent was supposed to win, Imron said that the vice president just wished them good luck.
It was the second occasion the athletes have met with the state's top officials.
In July, President Megawati Soekarnoputri, accompanied by her husband Taufik Kiemas and a number of her Cabinet ministers, allowed herself time to visit the athletes.
The president urged the contingent to bring home 15 gold medals from Busan.
At the last Asian Games in Bangkok four years ago, Indonesia won six gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals to finish in eleventh place among 42 participating countries.