Unwilling To Mention The Amount, The Minister Of Youth And Sports Ensures A Bonus For The 2021 Thomas Cup Next Week

Minister of Youth and Sports, Zainudin Alami (Photo: Ulfa Gusti Utama/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Zainudin Alami has confirmed that there will be a bonus for the Indonesian badminton team that successfully won the 2021 Thomas Cup. However, Menpora was reluctant to reveal how much the funds would be disbursed.

In an online meeting that took place on Saturday, December 4, Amali said that he could not divulge the total amount of funds that would be disbursed for the athletes. This is because this is a sensitive issue and moreover, the disbursement of these funds must also be coordinated with the Ministry of Finance, so everything must be done carefully.

"I have to be careful because this is a matter of state finances, because I don't want to be wrong, I don't want that. We are also coordinating with the Ministry of Finance regarding bonuses," said Amali.

Furthermore, the Minister of Youth and Sports said that the bonus award process was planned to take place next week in conjunction with the Satya Lencana awards for five former athletes.

"We will plan the handover, if not Tuesday or Wednesday, at the same time as the Satya Lencana sports handover there will be five people," he said.

The President (Joko Widodo) has submitted a Decree, they (who are awarded) are athletes who have excelled in world championships," explained Amali.

The statement regarding the awarding of bonuses to the Indonesian badminton team that won the 2022 Thomas Cup was conveyed by the Minister of Youth and Sports after there was pressure from the public. Not only that, a number of Indonesian team players, such as Jonatan Christie and Fajar Alfian, had previously issued innuendos through social media regarding the promised bonuses.