JJ Rizal Intercepts Anies At City Hall, Submits Petition Of Support To Change JIS Name To MH Thamrin Stadium

JAKARTA - A Betawi historian, JJ Rizal, intercepted DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan at DKI Jakarta City Hall when he was about to come to the DKI Jakarta DPRD Building to attend a plenary meeting in commemoration of Jakarta's 495th anniversary.

Rizal and a number of his colleagues intercepted this action to submit a petition for support from the community regarding the proposed change of the name of the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) to the MH Thamrin Stadium.

The submitted petition is wrapped in a cardboard box. When Rizal handed it over, Anies immediately received the box. However, Anies emphasized that the proposal in this petition would not necessarily be accepted.

"Thank you. Accepted first. Not necessarily approved", said Anies at DKI Jakarta City Hall, Wednesday, June 22.

"Accommodated, Mr. Anies, the aspirations", said Rizal after submitting the petition.

"Definitely accommodated. Agree or not, the considerations will be different", Anies replied, before heading to the plenary room of the DKI Jakarta DPRD building with the Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria.

After the handover, Rizal admitted that he hoped Anies would accept the change in the name of the international standard stadium to MH Thamrin Stadium. Because, according to him, the naming of JIS is just a project predicate, not a building name.

"A monumental building such as a stadium that will be inaugurated should have a name whose historical service and role is as great as monumental. MH Thamrin, in my opinion, is not only a person's name but also a symbol of Indonesian nationalism that is growing in Jakarta", said Rizal.

As is known, the petition for a change in the name of JIS has been published on the change.org page for some time. As of today, the petition has been signed by more than 5,700 people.

Rizal views, Mohammad Husni Thamrin, is the right name for the character to be immortalized in the magnificent stadium built by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government. Because MH Thamrin has succeeded in inheriting modern Indonesian football as a national reactor Jakarta is the capital of Indonesian national football.

"MH Thamrin, the son of Betawi, who became a national hero as well as a monumental hero of Jakarta and Indonesia football. He is a national movement figure who defends the little people in the villages who is not only a football freak and likes to cultivate round skin but also has a vision of modern football. Indonesia as a reactor of nationalism", he explained.