Minister Insists On Moving ISG Venue To Jakarta

Jakarta, May 16 (Antara) - Youth and Sports Minister Roy Suryo has insisted on moving the venue of the Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG) 2013 to Jakarta, although some parties wanted Riau to remain as the ISG host. "We want to save our nation. We don`t want the problems to drag on by maintaining Riau as the venue," Minister Suryo said in Semarang, Central Java, on Wednesday. The problems in Riau do not only concern technical issues, but also non-technical ones, particularly regarding the status of Riau Governor Rusli Zainal as a suspect in a graft case, according to him. Governor Zainal, who is in charge of organizing the ISG in Riau, has been named a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in alleged corruption regarding the construction of Riau`s main stadium which will be used during the opening and closing of the ISG. The ISG was initially to be held on June 6-17, 2013, but it was postponed to September this year. Commenting on a report that Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Affairs Agung Laksono recently met President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono asking a permission to hold the ISG in Riau, Minister Suryo said he did not want to discuss about it. He, however, said that it would be possible only if Riau has a new governor. "The provincial gubernatorial election in Riau will be held in September 2013," he said. Governor Rusli Zainal recently invited Minister Agung Laksono, Minister Suryo, and the Indonesian organizing committee of ISG 2013 to visit Pekanbaru, Riau, to see the preparations for the ISG, following Minister Suryo`s statement on the need to move the venue from Riau to Jakarta. The ISG is expected to be participated in by athletes from 57 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) The Games will hold 17 sports to be competed, such as swimming, gymnastic, athletic, football, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, karate, badminton, pencaksilat (martial art), archery, shooting, wrestling, basketball, handball, tennis, table tennis, fencing, and cycling.