"He is eager to know and not a person who pretends to know."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono installed Roy Suryo Notodiprojo here on Tuesday as the new youth and sports affairs minister to replace Andi Mallarangeng who had resigned after being named suspect in a corruption case.

President Yudhoyono said after announcing Roy`s nomination last Friday he had ordered him to settle conflicts in the national football organization.

He said he had also assigned the new minister to conduct consolidation at the youth and sports affairs ministry so that it could operate well after it was mired in a number of legal cases.

Former youth and sports affairs minister Adhyaksa Dault said he was optimistic the new minister would be able to restore the past glory of sports in the country.

"Not much could be changed but we must not be pessimistic. We must be optimistic because Roy Suryo is open and ready to learn," he said when asked for his comment after a presidential lecture on democracy outlook and youth expectations on 2013 here on Monday.

Dault admitted he has close relationship with the telecommunication and information expert and knows him very well.

"He is eager to know and not a person who pretends to know," he said.

He said he had talked with the new minister by phone before his installation and Roy admitted that he did not know much about sports affairs but "he is aware of it and would listen. He knows he does not know but he wants to know."

Dault said he believed the new minister, whose capability has been questioned by many quarters, could learn quickly. "With his smartness I am convinced he could move quickly," he said.

He said he believed his nomination was based upon consideration of his party which is the ruling Democrat Party.

"The president has chosen a person that is not involved in political conflicts," he said.

Dault said Roy Suryo must be strict and has courage to settle internal problems. "He must be strict and courageous because the PSSI problem must be able to be settled before March. It is centered between PSSI and KPSI," he said.

He suggested that he would approach and hold dialogs with the leaders of the two camps namely Arifin Panigoro and Nirwan Bakrie.

He said there was no reason for him not to be able to settle the conflict.

"When I was a minister the budget was only Rp75 billion but now he has Rp1.9 trillion. So, there must never be any leakage or pride projects," he said.
(Uu.H-YH/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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