Wismoyo offers last words to KONI's new board

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Wismoyo Arismunandar, the outgoing chairman of the National Sports Council (KONI), expressed hope that the new council board would not adopt radical policies to develop sport in Indonesia.

"Pak Agum (Gumelar) may have his own way to improve national sports, but he can't do away totally with the work the preceding council has done," Wismoyo said after bidding farewell to his staff at KONI Headquarters in Jakarta on Wednesday.

High hopes have been laid on the shoulders of Agum Gumelar, elected KONI chairman at the recent congress, to get Indonesia's sports back on track after Wismoyo's dismal tenure.

At the last two Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Indonesia fell to an unprecedented third place behind Thailand and Malaysia. The country also failed at the 2002 Asian Games.

Wismoyo, KONI chairman for two four-year terms, said there was unfinished work to be followed-up by the new council board.

"There are some programs which, I think, deserve to be followed up for the sake of continued development. We have the Garuda Emas project that we have formulated to spur our performance in international tournaments."

Garuda Emas (Golden Eagle) is a project aimed at improving performances but which failed, according to Wismoyo, due to a lack of financial support.

The former Army general hoped the new board would push for the immediate enactment of the sports bill he had pioneered.

Wismoyo's leadership was notoriously inefficient. His staff members of around 70 personnel comprised mainly military men.

The lavish employment of staff was considered an unwise policy and was a target of criticism. Wismoyo spoke in his defense on Wednesday.

"People do not know why I brought in quite a few men. KONI services are voluntary so the majority of the staff are part- timers. Someone should be on standby while others are out for their personal businesses," he said.

Agum, also a retired general, beat out Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, outgoing deputy KONI chairman Arie Sudewo and Indonesian Karate Federation chairman Luhut Panjaitan during a vote for the position.

Agum is also the chief of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and the minister of transportation.