Jakarta Globe May 22, 2009 By Ami Afriatni Shuttlers Take Their Game, Lives Abroad in Search of Opportunities A day before the semifinals of the Candra Wijaya Men’s Doubles Championship, the scene at Jakarta’s Asia Afrika Badminton Stadium looked much the same as any other day. Two men’s doubles shuttlers, both of whom looked Indonesian and spoke fluent Indonesian, were working out on the court. Their jerseys, though, were emblazoned with “Singapore.” Hendri Kurniawan Saputra and Hendra Wijaya were both born and raised in Indonesia. But they, along with their little sister, Shinta Mulia Sari, compete for the Singapore national team. The trio is just part of a steady stream of badminton talent leaving Indonesia to seek new lives and careers in places such as Singapore, Hong Kong and France. That exodus also includes coaches, such as Rexy Mainaky and Hendrawan, who are part of the Malaysian national team’s staff. Their reasons vary, but Jaya Raya Club chairman Retno Kustijah said the most common was because players found it hard to establish themselves as national team players here. “I can see the competition is getting stronger every year. So for those who are not competitive enough, they choose to move out,” said the former Indonesian shuttler who, with partner Minarni, won the 1968 All England women’s doubles title. Going abroad is not complicated. Shuttlers must receive a letter of permit from the Indonesian Badminton Federation (PBSI), and they can go once their Indonesian club and destination country agree on a transfer fee. Jaya Raya, Retno said, seldom asks for transfer fees as it knows how hard it is for athletes to start a new life abroad. “We just don’t want to put more burden on their shoulders,” she said. “Besides, several of those who’d left had given their best not only to club, but also to the country.” Hendri, Hendra and Shinta started playing badminton as teenagers for Sugeng Subagyo, their father and coach, at a small club, Aqua Puspita, in Jakarta. After three years there, they moved to Pelita in 1996 before being sold to Jaya Raya two years later for Rp 22 million. Hendri and partner Eny Erlangga competed for a place at the national training camp in 2001. They went on to win the men’s doubles division, but the PBSI, without telling them the reason, did not recruit the pair to the national camp. Disappointed, Eny left for Brunei Darussalam before moving on to the United States. Hendri continued his career in Indonesia before Basri Yusuf, Singapore’s national team coach, contacted him in early 2004. “He told me the Singapore Badminton Association had vacancies for those willing to join the national team,” he said. “I tried and made it through.” That opportunity became something of a dilemma as it clashed with his dream of playing for the Indonesian national team. Hendri returned to Indonesia in hopes of attracting the PBSI’s attention and put forth good performances, reaching the semifinals of the 2004 Singapore and Indonesia Open Super Series and the finals at the China Masters Super Series. All that success did not sway the PBSI, though, as it overlooked him again. He left for Singapore, along with his brother and sister, and earned permanent resident status in 2005. “Since then, I have officially represented Singapore in international tournaments,” he said. While he was disappointed in missing out on representing Indonesia, Singapore did make Hendri’s move worth his while. The Singapore government gave him privileges normally reserved for special citizens, including athletes. He received an apartment, insurance, a Rp 20 million per month salary and sponsorship contract with Yonex worth Rp 8 million a month. “The most important thing is I can choose any job in any place after I retire from the national team,” he said. “I just want to be a national coach.” Weny Rahmawaty, a 26-year-old Indonesian who has played for the French national team since 2002, took a different route to her new country. Starting her badminton career at women’s singles for Suryanaga Gudang Garam Club in Surabaya, East Java, in the mid-1990s, Weny had no designs on the national camp. In 2001, she received an offer from France to be a training partner for its shuttlers. “I took the offer because I thought it was a good opportunity to play in Europe,” she said. That opportunity blossomed in June 2002 as the French Badminton Association offered her the chance to play for France without changing her nationality. The International Badminton Federation, now known as the Badminton World Federation, then passed a rule allowing shuttlers to play for a country regardless of nationality. “I was 19 years old at the time. I thought it was a good opportunity to boost my career,” Weny said. “Besides, I could play in all the major tournaments without changing my nationality.” As a member of the French national team, Weny also received certain privileges, including a university scholarship for two years. She said she planned to continue playing until the 2012 Olympics in London. “I think if I stayed in Indonesia, I would no longer be playing badminton,” she said. “I would have become only a housewife.” Yohan Wiratama Hadikusuma, a Hong Kong national team member since 2002, needed a fresh start to get away from his own family. Yohan joined Indonesia’s national training camp in 1997, but he constantly found himself in the shadow of his older brother, 1992 Olympic men’s singles gold medalist Alan Budikusumah. While Alan brought glory to Indonesia, Yohan struggled to make a name for himself inside the national camp. His poor record led the PBSI to consider dismissing him from the camp. “I asked an official about that rumor and he nodded,” Alan said. Reacting like any good older brother, Alan leapt to his brother’s aid. He heard that thee Hong Kong Badminton Association had a vacancy on its national team, and after the brothers discussed the move, Yohan resigned from the camp and left for Hong Kong. “I don’t mind Yohan playing for another country because he also needs to live his life,” Alan said. “I believe he can still develop his career.” “And about nationalism, I think, not only Yohan but also other Indonesian shuttlers abroad, they have given their best for the country, but perhaps they haven’t been good enough. It’s time for them to move on with their life.”
