Jokowi Orders Regional Heads To Facilitate Competitive Athletes At PON XXI North Sumatra-Aceh

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). (Twitter Cabinet Secretariat)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) ordered all regional heads to coordinate with the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) to facilitate the training of athletes at the XXI National Sports Week (PON).

The XXI PON will be held in North Sumatra and Aceh on September 8-20, 2024.

"I ask other provinces, related to KONI, please ask them correctly, coordinate with KONI, especially helping with the existing sports branch training," Jokowi said at a presidential briefing to regional heads throughout Indonesia which took place at the State Palace. IKN, East Kalimantan, Tuesday, August 13, was confiscated by Antara.

Jokowi said that there are still many who complain about training in sports because there has been no assistance, either from provinces, districts, or cities.

The President added, for regional heads who want to boost their electability, PON can be the right event.

"Mr. Governor, who wants to increase his electability, if there are athletes who get gold medals, they can increase their electability," said Jokowi.

Regarding the venue for the PON, Jokowi said that the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian together with the Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo reported that the location of the event was ready.

"A little less, (but) it's ready," said Jokowi.

Previously, Deputy for Mental Revolution Coordination, Cultural Advancement, and Sports Achievement of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, Warsito, confirmed that the government would carry out the final check after August 17, 2024.

If someone is not ready, he said, intervention will be carried out.

"So that after August 17, we will all go to the field to ensure that the readiness of PON and Peparnas can be carried out properly," he said.