World Cup mania on a roll in Jakarta
The World Cup kicks off in France in just three days, but the frenzied anticipation has been building here for several weeks. Many wonder whether the sporting diversion will put the sizzling reform agenda on the back burner for a while. The Jakarta Post team of Kosasih Deradjat, Silvia Gratia M. Nirang, Ahmad Junaedi, Edith Hartanto, Cornelius Purba and Dwi Atmanta gets into the swing of things.
JAKARTA (JP): Before the din of student protests has died down comes another passionate event sure to unite people, regardless of age, sex, social status and ideology.
The World Cup, the pinnacle of soccer competitions, takes to the field Wednesday night.
People have waited with baited breath for the ball to get rolling. Children hum along to Ricky Martin's catchy 1998 World Cup theme song, or the Indonesianized version, Anak Ale, Ale.
Political scientist Muhammad A.S. Hikam believes many will lower the volume on the clamor for reform and become couch potatoes for a month as they feast on a daily diet of soccer.
"I guess those proreform activists will find it difficult to maintain people's spirit. And it's not unlikely that the government will take advantage of World Cup fever to distort the movement," Hikam said.
Demonstrations for reform shifted into a frenzied, grimmer gear following the death of four Trisakti University students in Jakarta on May 12. After all the smoke of looting and burning had cleared, president Soeharto resigned nine days later in answer to the reformers' prayers.
Hikam, a fanatical supporter of four-time champion Brazil, said reform would be a second priority as people focused on their soccer heroes in the vast media coverage on offer.
"Lowering the mood for reform could be an unintended consequence of this extra extensive coverage of World Cup."
The six TV stations will broadcast the tournament's 64 matches from the June 10 opener to July 12 final, in addition to special coverage by print media. Media firms have buckled down and sent their representatives in a tacit confirmation, perhaps, that the World Cup is bigger than even the country's worst-ever financial crisis.
University of Indonesia student Ahmad Noerhori was adamant that the World Cup would not sway him from his reform goals.
"Our movement will never dwindle until the government agrees to hold general elections in the very near future. If our rallies cease, it's because we've regrouped in order to avoid certain parties from meddling in our movement."
Students may not lose their ardor for reform, but Ahmad conceded there might be some adjustments for the action in France.
"We take our TV sets to our campuses, so that we can watch the matches while working on our next agenda," he said.
Souvenirs
World Cup fever is at palpable levels in department stores, where souvenirs, cassettes, compact discs and other World Cup- related merchandise are on sale.
Junior high school student Yanti proudly owned up to buying Ricky Martin's album and posters of soccer players, among them her favorite, Alessandro del Piero of Italy.
"I will watch all matches Alex and his Italian team play for sure," she said. "I like him because he's handsome."
A trade fair selling an array of World Cup souvenirs including sportswear, emblems, posters, stickers, keyrings and pins is underway at Atrium Plaza in Senen, Central Jakarta.
A stand attendant said most visitors bought outfits of World Cup holders Brazil. A short-sleeve shirt sells for Rp 25,000 (US$2.5), a long-sleeve one for Rp 30,000.
A group of schoolboys of state-run SMP 20 junior high school in Kramatjati, East Jakarta, also caught the fever -- they shaved their heads to emulate their idol, Brazilian Ronaldo.
"Actually we want to wear the Brazilian team's yellow and green jersey shirt time we do sports at school, but our teacher forbade us," said Yudi, one of the 30 shorn students. Students must wear uniform outfits during sports lessons, according to the school rules.
"But no one can stop us from having our heads shaven like Ronaldo," Yudi added.
Betting
Bookies are another group of soccer enthusiasts who cannot wait for the World Cup to get rolling. Although the government outlaws gambling, it is an open secret that some businesspeople and professionals are prepared to stake big purses on their favorite teams in major competitions.
A lawyer who wished to remain anonymous claimed a game master could get turnover of hundreds of million of rupiah in one soccer match during the World Cup.
He admitted to having bet on soccer matches for years, under control of the game master. A participant needs only to call the master while watching a live soccer match, usually on cable sports network ESPN.
"It's a trust game. It's difficult for the police to trace us," he said.
"Once my wager reached Rp 30 million ($2,608). I would have not bet that amount if I did not trust the gambling organizers."
The game master usually sends his employees to collect the wagers or present the winner's prize money. The master will earn between 5 percent and 7.5 percent of the winning pot.
Another source said a master required bookies to open accounts at the same bank as his.
He said the illegal gambling in the country was linked to a world gambling network. The master usually place his bet abroad to reduce the risk of losing at home, he added.
"The master could fix local matches in the past, but today they cannot because of strong opposition from bookmakers."
No wonder, then, that gamblers are hedging their bets on four- time winner Brazil.
World Cup gambling has inevitably made it onto the Internet, with several bookmakers offering their services with an interactive on-line betting facility.