President Jokowi Urges the 2018 Asian Games Organizer to be Ready

President Jokowi speaks to Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung before Limited Meeting at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Tuesday (6/3) afternoon (Photo: Rahmat/PR).

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo reminded that it is only 6 months left before a major sporting event for Asian countries or the 2018 Asian Games XVIII begins. The President firmly said as a host country, Indonesia must be 100 percent ready. “We only have 6 months left. As a host country, we must be soon 100 percent ready,” President Jokowi emphasized during a Limited Meeting on the Progress of the 2018 Asian Games XVII Preparations, at the Presidential Office, in Jakarta, on Tuesday (6/3) afternoon.

The President confirmed about venues construction. He asked for a report, how many venues have been completed, how many are still under construction, and how many are still on the bid/rent process. For athlete villages, the President has also asked for a report of how many have been completed and how many that must be prepared.

As for technical readiness, President Jokowi demanded to be arranged in detail, from opening session, the matches, to the closing session. “It must be well-calculated, specially-prepared, including alternative scenarios,” the President instructed.
The President emphasized that technical preparation is not just for ceremonial session, but also for traffic management, accommodation and consumption, athletes/officials’ mobility, and the readiness of supporting personnel. “I think in the practice we must observe in detail.,” the President said.

As for athletes’ readiness, President Jokowi stated that Indonesia not only want to be a successful host country but also successful in the achievement. Therefore, the President asked that these points should be a note for all parties involved in the 2018 Asian Games preparation.

The Limited Meeting was attended by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko, Minister of Youth and Sports Imam Nahrawi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Transportation Budi K. Sumadi, Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Minister of Communication and Informatics Rudiantara, Jakarta Governor Anis Baswedan, West Java Governor Ahmad Heriyawan, South Sumatra Governor Alex Nurdin, Head of the Indonesian Olympyc Committee (KOI)/the Indonesia Asian Games 2018 Organizing Committee (INASGOC) Erick Tohir, and Head of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) Tono Suratman. (FID/SM/RAH/ES) (EPI/YM/Naster)