0 Indonesian Masters to raise funds for flood victims

The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters golf championship organizers are looking to hold a charity event on the sidelines of the competition to raise funds to build homes for flood victims in Karawang, West Java. “2013 has seen severe flooding in Jakarta and some other cities in Indonesia, causing much damage. With this in mind, we have to make efforts to help them,” Gatot Subagyo, head of corporate communications at PT CIMB Niaga, title sponsor of the competition told a press conference on Thursday. 

The funds will be raised from ticket sales, a sports memorabilia auction and direct donations from sponsors and partners. The funds will be distributed through a nonprofit housing organization, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia. “We are excited to once again be part of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters initiative that rebuilds homes and lives for families in need in Indonesia. The funds collected through this event will be used to rebuild and renovate homes that were damaged during the severe flooding earlier this year,” national director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia James Tumbuan said. 

He said his organization found an area in Karawang where 20 houses were totally damaged and 30 severely damaged due to the flood, another 50 also needed renovations. To cover all of the rebuilding and renovation projects, the organization needs around Rp 5 billion (US$516,262). The third Indonesian Masters golf event will take place on May 2-5 at the Jakarta Royale Golf Club, and offers a total of US$750,000 in prize money. Northern Irishman Darren Clarke, New Zealander Michael Campbell, Ernie Els and John Daly as well as Simon Dyson are on the player list. 

Clarke and Els won the British Open in 2011 and 2012 respectively, while Campbell triumphed in the US Open in 2005 and Daly won the 1991 US PGA Championship and 1995 British Open. Indonesia will be represented by some 20 professional golfers but the best local hope Rory Hie is not among them. Agus Triyono, secretary-general of the Indonesian Professional Golf Association (PGPI), said that Rory would be competing at the China Open around the same time as the Indonesian Masters. Defending champion and world no. 3 Lee Westwood of Britain will also likely be absent as he has opted to play elsewhere, according to the Asian Tour’s tour development chief Irfan Hamid.

source : the jakarta post