Sahroni Asks SOEs To Sponsor Formula E, PSI: Definitely Short Of Sponsors

President Jokowi and DKI Governor Anies Baswedan during a review of the Formula E track construction project (Photo: BPMI Setpres/Laily Rachev)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the PSI faction of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Anggara Wicitra Sastroamidjojo, criticized the statement by the Chief Executive of Formula E Jakarta, Ahmad Sahroni, who asked the Minister for State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir to provide sponsorship from BUMN.

According to Anggara, the request for SOEs to sponsor the Formula E event is proof that the committee is lacking sponsors to cover the needs of organizing the race.

"To ask for sponsors to SOEs openly actually shows that the committee is tight due to a lack of sponsors. On the other hand, the sponsors that are said to already exist have not been opened yet," said Anggara in his statement, Wednesday, May 25.

Anggara also believes that the preparation for the electric car racing event is still a mess. Because, until now the committee and PT Jakpro BUMD as the organizer have not announced who the sponsors of Formula E are.

"It is very visible that the preparations are in disarray. Which event is more than a week before the event is still looking for sponsors. Later, even if SOEs end up giving sponsors, this is because lobbies are not a consideration of eligibility to be sponsored," he said.

Previously, Chairman of the Organizing Committee (OC) of Formula E Jakarta, Ahmad Sahroni, admitted that his party asked the Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir, to provide sponsorship from state-owned companies for the implementation of Formula E.

"My team and I really hope that BUMN will provide sponsors," said Sahroni at a press conference in Ancol, North Jakarta, Thursday, May 19.

Sahroni sees that this state-owned company needs to participate in the financing of Formula E. This is because the electric car race is an international event broadcast in various countries.

Sahroni also admitted that he had met Erick Thohir directly after President Jokowi's review of the Formula E circuit some time ago.

"On May 9, after the president came on Thursday, Monday I went to Mr. Erick to submit a proposal. But to this day there has been no feedback," said Sahroni.