Commemorating The Naturalization Process Of Marques Bolden And Cs In The House Of Representatives Who Successfully Made The Basketball National Team Win SEA Games Gold

Photo via Instagram @marques

JAKARTA - The success of the Indonesian Basketball National Team in winning a gold medal at the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam was recognized by the coach, Milos Pejic, one of which was due to the naturalization of players. This naturalization involves the Government and the DPR.

Member of Commission X DPR Putra Nababan recalled the naturalization process of Marques Bolden et al in Senayan which had successfully resulted in this achievement.

"Naturalization does strengthen our national team. And we in the DPR also support it. I remember very well at the beginning of the session last year, even during recess, we were asked to have a meeting to prepare for the naturalization process," explained Putra Nababan, Monday 23 May.

There are three naturalized players in the Indonesian Basketball National Team at the 2021 SEA Games, namely Marques Bolden, Dame Diagne, and Brandon Jawato. While Marques Bolden and Dame Diagne were naturalized in 2021, Brandon Jawato was naturalized a year earlier.

Putra recalls when he co-tested Marques Bolden and Dame Diagne in July 2021 with other members of Commission X. At that time Bolden and Dame Diagne underwent a naturalization process with another basketball player, Serigne Modou Kane.

"During the Hearing Meeting (RDP) with Commission X, the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemepora) and the PP of the Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) introduced them to Lami," said Putra.

“Then we gave them quizzes, about national insight, to Indonesian specialties. They were able to answer well, including mentioning fried rice and satay as their favorite Indonesian food,” recalled Putra.

According to Putra, Commission X together with Commission III of the DPR gave a lot of input during the process of naturalization testing which took place warmly. Moreover, the submission of naturalization is targeted so that the Indonesian Basketball National Team can make achievements, as well as in order to strengthen the Red and White squad to face the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 and FIBA World Cup 2023.

"And that is a process that makes us quite enthusiastic, yes, because it is part of our work to support the Indonesian national team to prepare for the SEA Games," said Putra.

The legislator from the DKI Jakarta I electoral district considered that the naturalization of Indonesian Basketball National Team players should be used as an example for other sports.

“In the naturalization program there are success stories, and there are failure stories as well. Now, for success stories such as the naturalization of the basketball national team players, this must be a shared lesson," he said.

Putra hopes that naturalization will be carried out from a young age, as stated in the Hearing Meeting (RDP). That way, naturalized athletes can defend Indonesia for a long time.

"Not when they have entered old age. So he has the hope of playing too in a time that is not just a moment. Naturalization should not only be used as a place to find medals. But also to be partners and teams with Indonesian players," said Putra.

Commission X of the DPR encourages the naturalization program to be carried out more carefully. Putra hopes that the Government proposes naturalized athletes with calculations for the long term.

"So when we give naturalization to players, we really have made a consideration and projection for the future. It's not just for one event and then he can't be a team player anymore, it's a shame, right?” he hoped.

The Red and White Team managed to get gold in the Southeast Asian sporting event after defeating the Philippines team, which has been the defending champion since 1999. The success of the Basketball National Team has also become history because since Indonesia participated in the SEA Games in 1977, this is the first time it has managed to bring home a gold medal for the sport. basketball.

"We have been missing a gold medal for too long, especially for a sport that has been dominated by the Philippine national team for many years. This is something to be proud of and makes the basketball community and community optimistic and also sports lovers," said Putra.

The DPR member who was once a basketball player also said that Indonesia's victory over the Philippines was a dream come true. Putra gave his appreciation for the Basketball National Team and all stakeholders involved so that Indonesia has now succeeded in establishing its position as the best in Southeast Asia.

“I congratulate the Indonesian Bakset National Team and also all the officials who helped make our national team successful in winning gold. This is a very proud achievement," he said.

"Because so far the Philippines has been a scourge. So it's a dream for us, those of us who have played basketball, that it finally happened, we became champions in Southeast Asia," added Putra Proud.

The success of the Indonesian Basketball National Team in the SEA Games event, he said, was not only due to naturalized players. Putra said that native Indonesian players also had many roles, such as debutant Derrick Xzavierro.

Therefore, this success is also considered to be an encouragement for all related parties to support the progress of domestic basketball athletes. Putra encourages national basketball athletes to be better nurtured.

"We hope that the seeds of basketball players from various places, from various parts of the region and in other big cities, we can start fertilizing as early as possible," he said.

According to Putra, Indonesia needs to learn from coaching athletes abroad. Precisely is by conducting coaching since the talented athletes candidates are at the most elementary school level.

"We can scouting Indonesian players who come from various regions. Therefore, it is the dream of many Indonesian children to be able to make the name of the Nation proud in the international arena," said Putra.

Meanwhile for the Indonesian Basketball National Team, Putra reminded that the SEA Games is not the main goal. He encouraged the Red and White squad to achieve much bigger goals.

"Including the 2022 Asian Cup where we, Indonesia, will host. Let's use the success at the SEA Games as an encouraging momentum to win in the next international sporting events," concluded Putra.