Vice President Ma'ruf Claims Zainudin Amali Has Committed From The Menpora Position

Vice President Maruf Amin and wife Wury Maruf Amin gave vitamin A to toddlers on the sidelines of their activities to visit Posyandu SIOLA Matahari/ANTARA

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma’ruf Amin revealed that the Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali had said goodbye to him regarding his desire to resign from his ministerial position. "Pak Zainudin Amali just said goodbye to me and gave his reason that he wanted to focus," said Ma'ruf to reporters during a working visit in Mamuju, West Sulawesi, Friday. Zainudin Amali said goodbye to Ma'ruf while escorting Vice President Ma'ruf to Mamuju at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, Jakarta, Thursday, February 23. Ma'ruf said Zainudin Amali's decision to resign from Menpora after being elected as Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) should be appreciated. He hopes that the world of national football in the future will be better. "I think it's just good because of that he chose to focus. I think it's a choice that should be appreciated so we hope that football in the future will have good achievements," said the Vice President. According to the Vice President, Zainudin Amali told himself that the decision to resign was because he wanted to focus on managing football. "If he is still a minister, he has to go to all sports. However, he wants (to resign) because he is now the Deputy General Chair of PSSI, he wants to focus on football so that he won't be confused about his duties. As a minister, then he takes care of the ball (only). So he finally chooses to focus on the ball," he said. Regarding the possibility of a reshuffle or cabinet reshuffle along with Amali's decision to withdraw from the ministerial seat, the Vice President said it was under President Joko Widodo's authority. "I don't think it has anything to do with the reshuffle, he (Amali) resigned. Regarding the reshuffle it's about the President, later whether the President wants to do it or not. But, what is clear, now the Minister of Sports is stepping down and when the administrative process is running, will the president appoint a new minister or be held by whom, or then use that opportunity to reshuffle, that's Mr. Jokowi's business, Mr. President," explained Vice President Ma'ruf.