Menpora Denies Coordination With The Attorney General's Office And The Criminal Investigation Unit Of The National Police Regarding Allegations Of Corruption At The Aceh-North Aceh PON

Indonesian Menpora Dito Ariotedjo (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo denied coordination with the Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) and the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police regarding corruption in the implementation of the XXI/2024 National Sports Week (PON) in Aceh and North Sumatra.

"We have denied the allegations of misappropriation, corruption, because only a handful of information was issued, we have to deny it. For what reason? I believe this is all the implementation, all of them have worked hard," said Dito quoting Antara.

Furthermore, he explained that there was a request from him to investigate the alleged abuse in the 2024 PON, not related to allegations of corruption.

The deepening, he continued, was carried out to respond to public complaints and ensure the truth of the accusations circulating on social media regarding the implementation of PON which was considered bad.

"It was my response that I did not accept after the direct opening, we were beaten through social media, in netizens using only a few sample examples, immediately massively said that the implementation of this PON was corruption. I am defending us. There is already a governance task force. This should not be directly accused of fraud, corruption," explained Dito.

He also conveyed that the deepening of reports, complaints, and even accusations related to misappropriation in the PON could indeed be carried out because of the Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 24 of 2024 concerning the Task Force (Satgas) for the Implementation of the XXI National Sports Week in 2024 in Aceh Province and North Sumatra Province and the XVII National Paralympic Week in 2024 in Central Java Province.

"There are two task forces there, namely the task force for the implementers who are headed by me Menpora and the task force for assisting the governance of PON and Peparnas, that is headed by the Deputy Attorney General," said Dito.

Meanwhile, members of the governance assistance task force, he continued, were the Deputy for the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police Headquarters, and other law enforcers.

Dito then reminded the public not to be afraid if they wanted to report alleged fraud at the 2024 PON because the task force would follow up.