JEDDAH, 15 March 2004 — Thirty-seven Indonesian soccer clubs are participating in the annual Independence Day tournament inaugurated by Indonesian Consul General Tajuddien Noor Boli Malakalu at Al-Ittihad Stadium here on Friday. Four matches were played on the opening day. In all 102 matches will be played Old Airport Square from 7 a.m. every Friday up to Aug. 27.
The tournament is held to celebrate the 59th Independence Day of Indonesia on Aug. 17.
Teams comprising Indonesian expat players compete for the Soccer Association of Indonesia Chairman Nurdin Khalid Cup in the tournament, which is also held to mark the country’s Independence Day celebration on Aug. 17.
Panther Group is the tournament’s main sponsor and Garuda Indonesia among its cosponsors.
The consul general, who performed the formal kick-off, said 28 teams competed in the tournament last year. “This is a community activity designed to promote brotherhood,” Boli Malakalu told Arab News.
“Volleyball, tennis, table tennis and badminton are among the other sports in which Indonesians have been regularly taking part,” he said. These sports events mostly take place in housing compounds.
