Nation’s Image at Stake in Asian Games

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian listen to an explanation from an officer of Manggala Agni about firefighting equipment called Sambunesia in a forest and land fire operation command ceremony in conjunction with the 2018 Asian Games events in Palembang, South Sumatra, Friday (08/03/2018). With the existing personnel and equipment, the two generals are optimistic that the implementation of the Asian Games in Palembang will not be affected by haze from the forest fires.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – A successful Asian Games, to be co-hosted by Jakarta and Palembang from Aug. 18 to Sept. 2 this year, will surely boost the nation’s dignity. The government is working around the clock to ensure preparations both in and out of sports venues.

Only two weeks are left before the Asian Games begins. Many had doubted that infrastructures would be ready on time. The government, however, has ensured that the country would be ready to hold 465 competitions in 40 sports. The police and the military are preparing themselves to protect 17,145 athletes from 45 participating countries. The Asian Games requires active collaboration from all relevant parties to ensure success as the nation’s dignity is at stake.

Outside of sports events, the Asian Games also requires organizers to ensure participants’ comfort. Authorities in South Sumatra and surrounding regions are focusing on mitigating potential haze threat. A joint team of 8,444 personnel has been deployed in 55 villages deemed prone to forest and peatland fires in South Sumatra.

The comfort of Asian Games delegations will be ensured even before they landed in the two host cities. Flight arrivals will be organized to prioritize those bringing Asian Games participants and ensure that they will not experience delays.

It is hoped that the delegations will gain positive impressions on Indonesia from the moment they are picked up by volunteers at airports and brought to the Athletes Villages in either Kemayoran, Jakarta, or in Jakabaring, Palembang. Especially for athletes, the organization of the sports competitions will determine their impression of Indonesia’s preparedness in holding the international sports event.

“[I conclude that] Indonesia is prepared to hold the Asian Games, both in terms of venues, infrastructures, organization and athletes’ preparations,” Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Friday (3/8/2018), after leading a closed-door meeting on Asian Games preparations at the Bung Karno Sports Stadium management office in Jakarta. With everything prepared, Kalla said that he hoped the Asian Games would be a success and a source of national pride.

The meeting was attended by Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani, Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi, Indonesian Chef de Mission Comr. Gen. Syafruddin, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, National Sports Committee (KONI) chair Tono Suratman and Indonesia Asian Games 2018 Organizing Committee (Inasgoc) chair Erick Thohir.

Prior to the meeting, Kalla inspected Asian Games infrastructures and athletes’ national training camp (pelatnas). Kalla visited the Athletes Village in Kemayoran and nearby Sentiong River, before heading to the athletics and aquatics venues in the Senayan Sports Complex in Central Jakarta.

Basuki said that all infrastructures in Jakarta and Palembang were ready.

Supporting factors

In order to ensure successful organization of the Asian Games, the government has moved quickly to prevent potential disruptions. With regards to Jakarta’s traffic jams, which had concerned the

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and a number of sports delegations during trial competitions, the city implemented an odd-even traffic policy in several major thoroughfares.

In Palembang, traffic restrictions would be applied on the Ampera Bridge during the Asian Games. Only public transportations and vehicles carrying Asian Games athletes and officials would be allowed on the bridge during the Games. Private vehicles can cross the Musi River, which goes through the city, through other bridges, including Musi Bridge II.

Sports venues in Palembang are prone to haze disruptions due to forest and peatland fires in the surrounding regions. Since July 30, the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) has worked together with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) to do seven cloud-seeding and induce two artificial rains in Palembang and its surrounding regions.

BPPT weather modification technology agency head Tri Handoko Seto said that the number of hotspots in South Sumatra had increased in the past few weeks, signifying expanding forest and peatland fires.

There are concerns that spreading haze will limit visibility and disrupt safe flights at Palembang’s Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport.

“Whoever burns the land, arrest them and process them in line with regulations. This is important to create a deterrent effect,” National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said, adding that the nation’s dignity would be at stake in the Asian Games.

In Bandung, it is reported that the West Java Police is increasing security at hotels where Asian Games athletes and officials will stay. West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Agung Budi Maryoto said in a security assembly that the police also launched terror-anticipation measures by arresting 37 alleged terrorists who are members of West Javanese cells of the banned Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) organization.

Some 10,188 personnel of the police, the military and the public order office will be deployed to secure Asian Games in West Java. (LAS/RAM/E08/E10/YUN/ARN/SEM)