President Suharto Brings Indonesia To The Subscription Of The General Champion Of The SEA Games

President Suharto played golf with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos at the Rawamangun Golf Course, East Jakarta, January 14, 1968. (Between/Djoni Litahalim)

JAKARTA - Sports celebrations are often considered important by the nation's leaders. President Suharto, especially. He considered sports to have a big role in building the nationalism of the Indonesian people. Suharto and the New Order (Orba) gave everything to develop sports.

From fund matters to facilities. This seriousness brings significant results. Indonesia is a regular champion of the Southeast Asian Sports Festival, SEA Games. Therefore, the ability of Indonesian athletes has never been underestimated.

The big influence of the achievements of the world of sports is never underestimated. A series of countries in the world are willing to 'dy out' to come out victorious in various sports fields. All because sports are considered to have a big role to raise the dignity of the nation.

Soekarno also agreed. The first Indonesian president often used sports as a tool to raise Indonesia in the eyes of the world. Andil Soekarno develops sports that cannot be taken lightly.

He wants Indonesia to be the host in every world-class sporting event. The dream came true. Bung Karno was able to perpetuate Indonesia from holding the 1962 Asian Games to the Developing Countries Sports Festival, Ganefo in 1963.

The results were brilliant. The name Indonesia appeared throughout the country. This condition did not then fade. Even when Bung Karno stepped down. In lieu, Suharto was able to continue Bung Karno's struggle. Suharto became a person who was proficient in developing the world of Indonesian sports.

Instead of only holding world-class sports celebrations, Suharto was actually able to develop the skills of Indonesian athletes. Suharto and New Order did not want sports to be only considered a physical matter. He is of the view that sports is more than that.

The Smiling General even wants Indonesia to emerge as a champion in every world-class sporting event. This desire was able to be digested well by all his staff since 1968. As a result, the entire New Order government united to realize the dream that Indonesia should be famous in the field of sports.

Another response was conveyed by the Chairman of the People's Representative Council of Gotong Royong (DPR-GR) NA Sjaichu. Such sports positions are important, especially in the context of national mental development. Sports as a forum for mental development during this New Order era needs to be nurtured and developed. It is hoped that in the future there will be Indonesian people who are truly healthy both mentally and physically who will be very useful for the nation, state and religion."

From the MPRS General Session, it appears that the Suharto administration places sports in a central position as a driving force for economic development. Sports is not seen as a separate field from efforts to prosper the Indonesian people. Sports occupy a strategic position in the complete development of Indonesian people," said Brigitta Isworo Laksmi and Primastuti Handayani in the book MF Siregar: Indonesian Sports Sun (2008).

Suharto's power in the world of Indonesian sports is not just talk. His seriousness in fostering Indonesian sports is evidenced by real action. Suharto was able to give instructions to his staff to fully support the steps of Indonesian athletes competing at home and abroad.

This support is shown by providing proper facilities and infrastructure for athletes. Cadreization and training system are also evaluated regularly. The results are brilliant. Indonesia's achievements in the era of the Suharto and New Order governments stand out.

Indonesian athletes can dominate many sports, especially in Southeast Asia. This narrative is strengthened by the greatness of Indonesia which is able to have brilliant achievements in every SEA Games celebration.

At that time, Indonesia became a Southeast Asian country that was subscribed to the overall champion of the SEA Games. In fact, of the 11 SEA Games (1977-1997) in the New Order era, Indonesia failed to become the overall champion only twice. Even then, Thailand lost to Thailand, which in fact hosted the SEA Games in 1985 and 1995.

This achievement makes it difficult for Suharto's name to be replaced as the most influential President in the world of sports. In fact, until now. Suharto's footsteps are difficult to follow by his successor. This is because Indonesia has only been recorded as the first overall champion. Even then in 2011, the year when the Indonesian incident hosted the SEA Games.

This success was proven by the dominance of national athletes in the Southeast Asian scene. In the Suharto era, Indonesia participated for the first time in the SEA Games biennial celebration party in 1977 for the continuation of the SEAP (Southeast Asian Penisular) Games since 1959. First time participating, Indonesia was immediately in the leading position to shift Thailand's dominance. It's amazing.

Suharto's leadership era was recorded as 11 times that Indonesia took part from 1977 to 1997 and the number one position was only shifted by Thailand when the White Elephant Country hosted 1985 in Bangkok and 1995 in Tokyo, "explained AR Loebis quoted by Sugiono MP in the book Goodbye Pak Harto (2008).