Jakpro Says JIS Grass Is Not Necessarily Replaced By Golf Course Grass As Jokowi's Minister Wants

Workers put up grass for the training field at the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) Main Stadium Complex, Jakarta, Friday, October 23, 2020. (ANTARA PHOTO-Puspa Perwitasari).

JAKARTA - President Director of PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro) Iwan Takwin said that his party was still processing the plan to replace the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) grass ahead of the U-17 World Cup.

"It's still in process. The management is still Jakpro," said Iwan when met at the DKI Jakarta DPRD Building, Wednesday, July 26.

However, Iwan said that JIS grass was not necessarily replaced with golf course grass as desired by President Joko Widodo's ministers when inspecting the international standard stadium some time ago.

"(The change to golf course) is still being analyzed. It's called planning, this is still being analyzed," said Iwan.

What is clear, Iwan ensures that Jakpro as the manager maximizes the improvement of all JIS infrastructure in order to become the U-17 World Cup venue which will be held next November.

"Ready, please, we will be the owners of any venue, we will do our best to be able to use it to support this international event," he explained.

Some time ago, Minister of PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir, and Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono reviewed JIS' readiness to be one of the options for the U-17 World Cup venue. In his review, Basuki said, grass on the JIS football field did not match the standards for the U-17 World Cup venue.

"The current grass condition according to the expert's evaluation, which also evaluates 22 stadiums including those that cross the GBK grass for the Asian Games, is clearly not included in the FIFA standard with the current conditions," Basuki said at JIS, North Jakarta, Tuesday, July 4.

Based on observations by agronists, the hybrid grass planted on the synthesis carpet at JIS is Japonica. However, it turns out that this grass installation method makes it difficult for water to penetrate the soil below.

Not to mention, the sunlight exposed to grass is uneven. Therefore, the first way to improve is to move grass from the golf course.

"What can be done is to move the field, which has become one of them from golf. If not, we can replace it according to a game, so it's like a terel. That's the closest solution because for 3 months. In the long term, change the grass," explained Chairman of PT Karya Rama Prima (KaerPe) Qamal Mustaqim.