Zainudin Amali Mundur Menpora, Golkar: When And Who Will Be Substituted To Jokowi

JAKARTA - Regarding the time and time and who was the replacement for Zainudin Amali to resign as Menpora, the Golkar Party did not know for sure. Golkar completely left it to President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) decision.

This was stated by the chairman of the Golkar Party DPP Dave Laksono when met by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 22. Dave was also reluctant to speculate or reveal names that could potentially replace Menpora Zainudin Amali's position.

He asked the public to wait for the certainty of a replacement for Menpora Zainudin Amali because the decision to fill seats in the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet was President Jokowi's prerogative.

"So, let the president decide whether Mr. Amali is accepted to resign, then replace him when, who, let the president decide," he said.

He said President Jokowi was the party that had the decision to return the Menpora seat which would be empty to Golkar Party cadres or even to other parties.

"The president who can determine whether it is given to Golkar or to others, we cannot force it. The president cannot be driven to a single decision, he must be of his own accord," he said.

He also said that basically the Golkar Party approved Zainudin to resign from the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet after being elected as Deputy Chairperson of the All-Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).

"Yes, it is impossible if he does not approve, his political attitude and his decision, because of what? Because Pak Zainudin Amali has already received a very important task to clean up PSSI," he explained.

Dave also agreed with Zainudin Amali's attitude in stating that he wanted to focus on managing national football because various improvements needed to be made to fix the parent organization of Indonesian football.

"Because we see PSSI has many internal, external problems; both in leagues, club development, all kinds of things. Well, this requires a big focus. Therefore, Pak Zainudin took a stand and also to receive assignments from the president to resolve existing chaos," he explained.

Dave said Ketum Airlangga Hartarto would convey President Joko Widodo's response regarding Menpora's desire Zainudin Amali to resign from his position.

Moreover, he continued, Airlangga Hartarto as the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs routinely communicated with President Jokowi regarding various kinds of things.

"Let's announce it at the right time, Mr. Airlangga himself. Not from us, not from me, let alone. Let Mr. Airlangga convey the president's attitude and decision regarding Mr. Zainudin," he said.

Previously, President Jokowi said that Zainudin Amali had informally conveyed his desire to resign from his position as Menpora after being elected as Deputy General Chair of PSSI.

Zainudin Amali said President Jokowi had given permission to him to focus and concentrate on managing national football.

Amali was elected as Deputy I of PSSI at the PSSI Extraordinary Congress, Jakarta, last Thursday. In the KLB, Amali, together with PSSI Deputy II Deputy II Ratu Tisha, will accompany PSSI Chairman who is Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir.