Inaugurating The XX PON Arena, Jokowi: We Are Grateful That Papua Has An International Standard Sports Venue

Jokowi inaugurates the Papua Pon venue (Screenshot of the Presidential Secretariat YouTube)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is grateful that the entire arena or venue for the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON) has been completed and is ready to be used. This was conveyed when he inaugurated seven venues in Jayapura, Papua today or Saturday, September 2.

"We should be grateful and thank God, all the venues for the XX Papua PON have been completed and are ready to be used to support the successful implementation of the PON, which is being held for the first time in Papua", Jokowi said as quoted from a video caption on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube.

In addition, he also conveyed his gratitude because Papua now has a sports arena with international standards. "Starting from the Istora Papua Bangkit, the aquatic arena, the cricket arena, the hockey arena, the rowing arena, the archery arena, to the roller-skating arena", said the former governor of DKI Jakarta.

With international standards, said Jokowi, these various sports arenas have sophistication such as construction that is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Thus, he advised all parties to continue to maintain and make the best use of this arena.

"After being able to build these venues, our work is not finished. The next task is to maintain, care for, and make the best use of these venues", said Jokowi.

"I don't want the PON to be finished, the facilities that have been built with large funds and with international standards have become a lonely place, not maintained, and eventually damaged. This is what we don't want", he added.

For this reason, Jokowi then ordered regional heads from governors to mayors to prepare facility management. Thus, the sports arena that has been built can be maintained properly.

"Take advantage of this venue as a place for screening superior sports seeds, nurturing Papuan athletes to excel both at national and world levels", he said.

Also present at the inauguration were Indonesian Parliament Speaker, Puan Maharani, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, Head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Budi Gunawan, TNI Commander Admiral Hadi Tjahjanto, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit, and other officials.