PT TIM Opens Up About Chaos In 1997 Sea Games Bailout: Don't Let Political Discontent With The Suharto Clan

President Director of PT Tata Insani Mukti (TIM) Bambang Riyadi Soegama. (Didi Kurniawan/VOI)

JAKARTA - The financial chaos for the 1997 Sea Games XIX between the government through the Ministry of Finance and Bambang Trihatmodjo continues. This time, the President Director of PT Tata Insani Mukti (TIM) Bambang Riyadi Soegama was outspoken about the problems that befell the son of former President Suharto.

Bambang, who is also the Daily Chair of the private consortium partnering the organizers of the 1997 Sea Games XIX, said that the original idea for the private consortium was actually from Enggartiasto Lukita. The idea was obtained after his party received information that Brunei Darussalam had withdrawn to host the biennial sports event in Southeast Asia.

Furthermore, he said, Enggartiasto invited Bambang Trihatmodjo to form the private consortium. Bambang Trihatmodjo also agreed to Enggar's invitation.

"Then the private consortium coordinated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and KONI to determine the direction of the amount of funds needed. From this coordination, a figure of IDR 70 billion was obtained for the holding of the XIX Sea Games event in Jakarta and was covered," said Bambang Riyadi at a press conference in Jakarta, Wednesday, April 6.

However, over time, Bambang explained, it turned out that other costs were required by KONI to conduct athlete coaching and other supporting facilities. The funds needed to reach IDR 35 billion.

He said that the private consortium finally asked for funds from the government to cover these costs. Thus, the Decree of the President of the Republic of Indonesia number 01/IHHT/1997 was issued regarding loan funds with 15 percent interest.

However, the loan accountability report will be transferred to the president's aid. The reason is that holding the 1997 Sea Games is in the interest of the Republic of Indonesia.

"In fact, administratively, the State finances did not come from the Indonesian State Budget, but came from the reforestation fund," he said.

In this case, Bambang Riyadi revealed, the total cost for holding the Sea Games reached IDR 156 billion. These funds swelled, due to the cost of procurement of uniforms to lodging facilities for athletes.

On the other hand, he assessed that the bill from the Ministry of Finance to Bambang Trihatmodjo was misdirected. According to him, actually, a private consortium together with Bambang Trihatmodjo will bear the remaining funds for the Sea Games

"If it is true that we want to use the state budget, we will pay for it. But this is a reforestation fund that was seconded for us, as a temporary loan fund. So, there should be no political displeasure with the Suharto clan," he stressed.

For information, the amount of state receivables that Sri Mulyani invoiced to Bambang Trihatmodjo reached IDR 64 billion. This figure is based on the accumulated principal loan of IDR 35 billion plus an interest of 15 percent with a period of 1 year or during the period from October 8, 1997, to October 8, 1998.