Organizers Need More Money as SEA Games Approach

State-owned banks announced a combine profit of Rp 22 trillion last year. I think they could help [sponsor the Games]

Just five months before Indonesia hosts the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, organizers are still facing budget shortages.

Inasoc, the organizing body, told the House of Representatives on Tuesday that it still needed more than Rp 2 trillion ($234 million) for the SEA Games, which are scheduled for Nov. 11-22 in Palembang and Jakarta.

“We proposed a budget of Rp 3 trillion to the government for organizing the Games, but from the middle of 2010 until now we have only received Rp 650 billion, which all went to construct venues in Palembang and Jakarta,” Inasoc’s chairwoman, Rita Subowo, told House Commission X, which oversees sports affairs.

“We still need money for Inasoc’s daily activities, promotions, and sports equipment. We need at least Rp 2.1 trillion.”

Rita told lawmakers the money was urgently needed to finish preparations for the Games, the region’s showcase multisport event held every two years.

Inasoc’s director general, Rachmat Gobel, said organizers were looking for more sponsors to help finance the Games, but were having trouble finding companies willing to put up any cash.

“Most of them are interested in value-in-kind sponsorships, such as goods and services. We need cash to pay our staff and cover our daily activities in preparing for the Games,” he said.

“We’ve been digging into our own pocket to be able to operate.” Inasoc has signed sponsorship deals with electronics company Panasonic Gobel Indonesia, flag carrier Garuda Indonesia and the country’s biggest instant-noodle maker, Indofood Sukses Makmur.

Organizers didn’t offer details but the deals were reportedly worth a total of about  Rp 300 billion.

Commission X member Djamal Aziz, from the  People’s Conscience Party (Hanura), said the House would help Inasoc find solutions for the budget shortfall.

He said the commission would summon representatives of state-owned enterprises, especially banks, to discuss possible sponsorship deals.

“State-owned banks announced a combine profit of Rp 22 trillion last year. I think they could help [sponsor the Games],” he said. “We also will try to submit another proposal for funds to be allocated from this year’s revised state budget.”

Last month, the central government rejected a request from Palembang, the South Sumatra capital, for an additional Rp 250 billion to finish work on a number of venues at the Jakabaring Sports City.

Indonesia is hosting the regional Games for the first time since 1997.

dikutip dari : JakartaGlobe.com