Papua Ready to Host PON, Vigilance Urged over Security
The PON organizing committee said residents who had been vaccinated would be allowed to enter any of the sport venues. This vaccination requirement aims to prevent the competition venues from being a COVID-19 cluster.
Riders pass through the promotional media for the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON) installed at the HI Roundabout, Jakarta, Friday (3/9/2021).
The government has decided that the Papua PON 2020, a national multi-event sporting showcase, will go ahead as scheduled and has appealed to provincial delegations not to worry about sending their athletes.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Ahead of the National Games (PON), which will take place from 2 to 15 October in Papua, the government has reiterated that it is safe to hold the event in the region.
However, high vigilance will still be in place with security forces of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police in optimal deployment to ensure a timely, safe and smooth event.
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Kompas observed on Friday (3/9/2021) that Jayapura city and Jayapura regency, where the majority of the games’ sports will take place, looked eager to welcome the games with billboards and banners carrying the games theme beeing seen at a number of venues, such as Lukas Enembe Stadium in Jayapura regency, as well as the Waringin Sport Hall and Cenderawasih Sport Hall in Jayapura city.
So, too, are public facilities, city parks and shopping centers, in excited anticipation of the Papua PON.
A 30-kilometer highway section from Sentani to Jayapura city is adorned with games banners. So, too, are public facilities, city parks and shopping centers, in excited anticipation of the Papua PON.
The community is enthusiastic about participating in the games, and are willing to get vaccinated, as a requirement to watch the competitions. Around 1,000 people reportedly get the Covid-19 vaccine every day.
The PON organizing committee said residents who had been vaccinated would be allowed to enter any of the sport venues. This vaccination requirement aims to prevent the competition venues from being a COVID-19 cluster.
Riders pass through the promotional media for the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON) installed at the HI Roundabout, Jakarta, Friday (3/9/2021).
Following a meeting on the Papua PON and Papua National Paralympic Week (Peparnas) -- the latter being held a month after the former -- at the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister in Jakarta on Friday (3/9), Youth and Sports Ministry secretary Gatot S. Dewa Broto said the PON had been the major focus, with the state’s dignity and honor at stake.
"The security apparatus is committed to safeguarding the Papua PON by implementing several measures, especially anticipatory steps against potential disturbances or terror by infiltrated armed culprits, or over spreading fake news," he said.
The meeting was chaired by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD and attended by several top officials, including sports minister Zainudin Amali, National Sport Council (KONI) chairman Marciano Norman, TNI and Polri representatives from both central and Papua headquarters as well as the Papua provincial government.
They have established relationships with the community, especially the customary leaders, to make the PON a success.
The main discussion, among others things, was on security and health issues in Papua ahead of the games. “TNI/Polri personnel in Papua are vigilant to deal with potential disturbances that might arise before and during the PON. They have established relationships with the community, especially the customary leaders, to make the PON a success,” Gatot said.
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Throughout January to early September 2021, armed criminal groups (KKB) carried out 27 attacks in a number of areas in Papua, including Intan Jaya, Yahukimo, Nduga, Bintang Mountains and Puncak.
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Commander of the XVIII/Kasuari Military Regional Command, Major General TNI I Nyoman Cantiasa while giving a press statement about the attack by an armed criminal group against members of the Kisor Koramil Post in Manokwari Regency, West Papua, Thursday (2/9/2021).
The most recent incident occurred on Thursday (2/9) on the Kisor military post at South Aifat district, Maybrat regency, West Papua, killing four Army members.
No detailed rules yet
Gatot said the Covid-19 pandemic protocols regulating the participating athletes and spectators were likely to be made in detail later.
"It is likely that more specific regulations will be made after Pak Mahfud MD visits Papua on September 10," he said.
He said audience attendance was an important issue to discuss, considering that the PON, which would be a maiden national games for the region, would be an occasion for Papuans to savor pride and entertainment.
However, he said, the number of spectators might be limited, although the reduction would not too far below the attendance capacity at each of the venues.
There are several requirements that must be met to enter the arena, such as having to show Covid-19 vaccination certificates for both jabs.
Another issue discussed at the meeting was Covid-19 testing, which will be reinforced from Jakarta given that laboratories in Papua are still limited in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing support facilities.
Meanhile, Marciano said the sporting delegation buildup to the games, pertaining to Covid-19 in particular, had proceeded smoothly with all athletes for the PON having been vaccinated twice.
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Chairman II of PB PON Papua Roi Letlora (far left), Secretary General of Central KONI Ade Lukman (second left), Papuan footballer Boaz Solossa (second right), and General Secretary of PB PON Papua Ellia I Loupatty (far right) after a press conference regarding the preparation of the Papua PON in Jakarta, Thursday (29/4/2021).
In Papua, the vaccination rate for residents living around the match venues was reported to reach 50 percent for those with second jabs. The rate is expected to be around 70-75 percent when the first match, namely men\'s softball, is played in Jayapura city on 22 September.
Marciano said infrastructure development, especially competition venues, had reached 90-95 percent. "Practically, only the rugby arena in Jayapura regency has not been completed, but it will be finished by the end of September," he said.
Delegation preparation
A number of provincial delegations are continuing to prepare for the Papua games. The East Java sports authority will dispatch 1,150 athletes, officials and task forces to Papua .
"As long as KONI does not state there is a delay or any emergency, East Java will be commited to go," East Java KONI executive chairman M. Nabil said.
Central Java KONI secretary Heny Setyawati said they were not too preoccupied with security issues in Papua.
He said that with the government having guaranteed security at the PON, everything must have been prepared.
The Central Java delegation consists of 643 members, including athletes, coaches, managers and support teams.
Yogyakarta is set to send 130 athletes to the PON, with provincial KONI chairman Djoko Pekik Irianto saying they trusted the games organizers and Papua provincial government in security provisions.
Meanwhile, the West Java delegation is going to participate in the games with 770 athletes to compete in 37 sports. "The athletes’ psychological [condition] is not disturbed. Our preparations are well worked to maintain the overall champion status of PON," West Java KONI chairman Ahmad Saefudin said.
Geisler Muguri, a resident of Argapura village, Jayapura city, said he could not wait to witness the first PON in Papua.
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Rowing athletes from Jambi practice physically in the Lake Sipin area, Jambi City, Friday (7/8/2021). Some athletes are focusing on preparing for the PON in Papua later this year.
“The organization of the PON is proof that the state believes in Papua to be able to carry out a national-level sporting event. We are very proud to finally be able to host the PON,” he said. (DRI/FLO/TAM/BRO/ETA/DIT/HRS)
(This article was translated by Musthofid).
