Pilu, Papuan PON Gold Winner Awaiting Bonus To Pay Off Mounting Debt

Kenshi West Sumatra Ari Pramanto after competing (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - There is always a story behind the victory of the athletes who competed in the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON). Victory is of course the main goal from the start and happy tears will welcome when the dream comes true.

However, a heartbreaking confession had to be heard from the athlete who won the gold medal in the sport of shorinji kempo after the victory he achieved with all his efforts and best performance.

He is an athlete from West Sumatra, Ari Pramanto. Ari, as he is usually called, just won the shorinji kempo competition in the 70 kilogram class randori (fighting) category at the Sports Building (GOR) of the Evangelical Church Theology College in Indonesia, STT GIDI.

He couldn't hold back tears of joy after he was declared victorious over his opponent, West Papuan Kenshi, Julifan Prastyo Nugroho.

When the match ended, he immediately paid tribute to the jury and the match committee as well as the audience at the STT GIDI GOR. Not to forget, he went to one corner of the GOR to give a warm greeting to his cheering supporters.

After that, he went down to the break room while fiddling with his smartphone. Perhaps, Ari is informing his relatives about his victory in PON XX via WhatsApp instant messages.

When found, he smiled faintly and began to open small conversations. Unexpectedly, behind the victory he won, Ari has an extraordinary burden and responsibility. He is in debt.

He did not mention in detail how much he had to pay off. But what is certain is that when the XX PON ends, the debt must also be resolved immediately.

PON gold victory for him certainly gives a glimmer of hope. The young man who was born in Sawahlunto City admitted that the bonus he would receive from the West Sumatra Provincial government would later be used to pay his debts. More sadly, not only on one side but there are several.

"When it comes to bonuses, maybe it's all just to pay off the debt again," said the West Sumatran kenshi, as quoted by Antara.

He was forced to borrow some money for expenses during the XX PON preparation exercise. Since the last two years, Ari has been going back and forth from Charcoal City to Padang. The location of the two areas is not close. There is a distance of about 97 kilometers or more than three hours by car that he must travel.

During that time he had to continue to support his wife and children. Not only that, as the eldest son in the family, he also carries out his obligations to his parents.

You can imagine how much the 34-year-old has spent in the last two years. Actually, the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) West Sumatra provided pocket money for the preparation of the XX PON.

However, the problem is that the money given by the West Sumatra KONI is often late or in arrears. As a result, he was forced to borrow money to cover his daily needs.

In fact, to go to PON XX, he was only given Rp. 2.5 million by KONI West Sumatra. With that amount, of course, it is not sufficient for all needs while in the eastern tip of Indonesia.

Let alone to share with children and wives in the village, for living expenses while in Papua is not enough, he said.

In fact, seeing his struggle to provide the best for the region, he was willing to not work as a temporary worker in the Sawahlunto City Government so that he could focus on undergoing training after training ahead of the XX PON.

Ari's willingness to work for the region certainly has an impact on the income he gets. The absence of income, while he had to go back and forth from Sawahlunto to Padang forced him to borrow money from other people.

Looking back a little, before participating in the 20th edition of PON, Ari actually received a bonus for his victory at the Regional Sports Week (PorwiL) which was held in Bengkulu in 2019.

However, tragically, instead of enjoying the bonuses from his hard work, Ari had to use the money to pay off all the debts he had. In detail again and again, Ari is reluctant to tell how much debt is being wrapped around his economy.

"So my costs back and forth from Sawahlunto City to Padang City are my responsibility," he said.

Hope for job

As the person who won the gold medal in PON XX, of course Ari will be rewarded with a bonus. But, as he said, the money would only be used to pay off his mounting debts.

Therefore, with his achievements and success at the biggest sporting event in the country, he really hopes that the central and regional governments will pay attention to the fate of the athletes, especially providing jobs.

After PON, he plans to collect the promise of the local provincial government which previously promised gold medal winners in XX PON will be appointed as state civil servants (ASN).

"I want to collect it. Is it true or not according to the promise," he said.

Even though Ari's journey is bitter, it turns out that the Sawahlunto City Government still cares about his fate. He is fully supported in participating in PON in order to provide the best for the Minang realm.

Ari, who works as an honorary in the City Government of Sawahlunto every day, is given convenience and leeway. The local government had no problem with him taking two years off.

Ari's fate seems not much different from that faced by Muswar Iwan alias Iwan Samuray, a West Sumatra bodybuilder who is also a gold medal contributor from the sport he participated in.

The bodybuilder is in debt 1.7 billion. From the life experiences of the two athletes, the government should pay more attention to the fate of the athletes in the country. They have been bloody giving their best. Property, separated from their wives and children sacrificed for the sake of the motherland.