Looking Forward to a More Professional Minister

KOMPAS/ADRIAN FAJRIANSYAH

Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi waves to journalists at the Youth and Sports Ministry offices in Jakarta on Thursday (19/9/2019), one day after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named him a suspect of bribery in a case pertaining to a grant from the ministry for the National Sports Council (KONI) in fiscal year 2018. At the press conference, Imam said he had tendered his resignation to enable him to focus on the legal process. Thus far, President Joko Widodo has not appointed Imam’s successor.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has promised to immediately choose a replacement for Imam Nahrawi, who has tendered his resignation as Youth and Sports Minister after he was declared as a suspect in a corruption case.

Many athletes and coaches expect the President to choose a sports minister who is more professional, has integrity, and understands and cares about sports.

The President received Imam Nahrawi’s resignation letter on Thursday morning at Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta. "I respect the decision of the KPK to declare Pak Imam Nahrawi as a suspect because of the grant funds affair with KONI," the President said at Merdeka Palace, referring to the National Sports Committee (KONI).

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday named Imam as a suspect of bribery in connection with the provision of a grant to KONI. Imam allegedly accepted Rp 26.5 billion (US$1.9 million) in bribes.

The President is considering whether to replace Imam or appoint an acting minister until the term of the Working Cabinet ends on Oct. 20.

"We will consider it within one day," the President said.

ANTARA FOTO/PUSPA PERWITASARI

President Joko Widodo (fourth right) is flanked by Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) chairman Moermahadi Soerja Djanegara (fourth left) and BPK members after speaking about the second half of 2019 audit results at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Thursday (9/19/2019). At the same occasion, the President also made remarks about the resignation of Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi in connection with his legal status as a suspect pertaining to a grant for the National Sports Council (KONI) in the 2018 budget.

He also called on all officials and budget managers to be careful in using the state budget. "Because everything will be audited by the BPK. If there is fraud, for example, it will become the business of law enforcement officers," said President Jokowi.

Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) chairman Moermahadi Soerja Djanegara said that it had issued a qualified opinion to the Youth and Sports Ministry received for its 2019 first semester financial report, because some problems concerning accountability needed clarification.

Working unit

BPK senior auditor Achsanul Qosasi said that the agency had submitted a recommendation to the Youth and Sport Ministry three months ago to place KONI under the ministry as a special working unit, which the ministry had forwarded to the Finance Ministry as a proposal.

Achsanul said that under the current structure, KONI must submit a funding request to the ministry to fulfill a variety of supervisory and procedural requirements. "Because someone asks and someone delivers, it gives rise to compensation,” he said.

If KONI became a special working unit under the Youth and Sports Ministry, said Achsanul, KONI would no longer need to request funds from the ministry, because its funding would automatically be covered by the ministry’s state budget allocation.

Separately, Deputy Finance Minister Mardiasmo said the Finance Ministry would first take a look at how the actual grant mechanism worked.

KOMPAS/ADRIAN FAJRIANSYAH

Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi says goodbye to employees of the Youth and Sports Ministry in Jakarta on Thursday (19/9/2019), one day after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named him a suspect of bribery in a case pertaining to a grant from the ministry for the National Sports Council (KONI) in fiscal year 2018.

Opportunity for change

Joko Kuncoro Adi, a former athlete of the Indonesian Athletics Federation (PB PASI), hoped that the corruption case involving Imam would be the last to befall the ministry. "We are sad to hear of it," he said.

PB PASI sprinting head coach Eni Nuraini also hoped that Imam’s case could be used as an opportunity for a change for Indonesian sports. "If possible, the sports minister should be a true professional who understands sports. People who have pursued sports are sure to understand the condition of national sports," she said.

Eni described the condition in the 1960s, when she became a national swimmer. The sports minister at that time was Maladi, the 1950-1959 chairman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI).

Maladi was seen to be extremely concerned about athlete welfare. The Bung Karno (GBK) sports complex was used to be an “athletes’ palace”. All national training was held at the GBK, and the athletes stayed at dedicated dormitories near the sports complex.

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Ministry secretary Gatot S. Dewa Broto said that the ministry’s employees were shocked by the announcement that Imam had been named as a suspect. However, they had moved on immediately to resume their regular activities.

Gatot stressed that the case over Imam would not affect the ministry’s activities. Priority programs like the 2019 SEA Games, the PSSI Congress, PON Papua 2020, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup would be unaffected.

(LAS/SHR/DRI/DNA)