Audit All Stadiums Used for League Matches

Football stadiums used for league competitions in Indonesia need to meet safety standards. The President asked the PUPR Ministry to examine in detail so that the Kanjuruhan Tragedy does not repeat itself.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

President Joko Widodo after seeing the field at Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang Regency, Wednesday (5/10/2022). The President went to Kanjuruhan Stadium to see the condition of the stadium after the riots on Saturday (1/10/2022) which claimed the lives of 130 people.

MALANG, KOMPAS – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has ordered the Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Ministry to audit all stadiums used for football matches in Indonesia, from Liga 1 to Liga 3. A complete audit is needed to determine whether the stadiums meet safety standards.

The President emphasized this point on Wednesday (5/10/2022), after visiting victims of the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy who are being treated at Saiful Anwar Hospital (RSSA) in Malang municipality, East Java. The President also provided compensation for the victims’ families.

At least 130 people were killed on Saturday (1/10) in the stampede and crush that occurred following the Liga 1 match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang.

After meeting the families of victims at the hospital, President Jokowi visited Kanjuruhan Stadium, accompanied by senior officials that included Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud M.D., Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy, Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali, and National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo.

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According to the President, an audit would be conducted to determine whether all stadiums in the country met certain standards, from the size of the gates to their management.

“Learning from this incident, we must improve everything: match management, field management, stadium management. We must conduct a complete audit. We do not want an incident like Kanjuruhan to happen in our country again,” he said.

While at the hospital, the President visited survivors of the incident to ensure that they were receiving the best services. He also spoke with them to understand what had happened during the incident.

President Jokowi encouraged all survivors to stay optimistic and wished for the speedy recovery. He also told them that the central and local governments would bear all costs.

I asked that [it be done] as soon as possible, because everything is out in the open.

“I want to know the root of the problem that caused this tragedy, so we can find the best solution. We have already formed an independent fact-finding task force [TGIPF] led by the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister,” he said.

When asked about the task force’s goal, the President said that it was to finish the investigation as soon as possible. Previously, the task force head said its investigation might take around a month. “I asked that [it be done] as soon as possible, because everything is out in the open,” said Jokowi.

The task force held its first meeting on Tuesday night and approved the proposed moratorium on all football matches under the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI). According to task force member Akmal Marhali, the proposal was submitted to the PSSI by the Youth and Sports Minister, who was also the deputy chairman of the task force.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Two women pray in front of the stadium door that witnessed the Kanjuruhan tragedy that killed at least 130 people after the Arema FC match against Persebaya at the Kanjuruhan Stadium, Kepanjen, Malang, Tuesday (4/10/2022).

During the task force’s second meeting on Wednesday, it divided tasks and work plans amongst its members. “In the first week, the team collected as much data, information and feedback as possible. In the second week, we will examine all our findings, and the results will be reported to the President in the third week,” said Akmal.

In response, the PSSI said it respected the task force’s proposal to place a three-week moratorium on all matches under the PSSI and PT Liga Indonesia Baru, namely Liga 1 and Liga 2.

“It is our duty to accept and support the government’s stance [regarding the moratorium],” Ahmaf Riyadh, who is on the PSSI’s Kanjuruhan incident investigation team, said on Wednesday.

The proposal also recommended that Liga 1 and Liga 2 postpone the 2022-2023 season. On Monday (3/10), PT Liga Indonesia Baru, the match operator, informed participants of Liga 1 and Liga 2 that all matches would be postponed for two weeks in light of the PSSI’s investigation into the incident.

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Borneo FC, a leading Liga 1 team in its 11th week of matches, said it respected the PPSI and match operator’s decision. Moreover, Borneo coach Miftahuddin Mukson said the team would continue to train to keep its players in top condition. “I’m sure all the teams have also agreed that the matches should be temporarily suspended,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Liga 3 managment was handed over to the PSSI’s respective provincial associations (Asprov). In Jambi, PSSI Jambi Asprov secretary Reza Hadinata said that two competitions had been postponed, namely the 2022 PSSI Jambi Asprov Cup, which was scheduled for 8-16 Oct., as well as the PSSI Jambi 2022 Asprov Liga 3, which was to begin in the third week of October.

“We decided to postpone [the competitions] until further notice,” he said.

FIFA

Following a ceremony to mark the 77th anniversary of the Indonesian Military (TNI) at the State Palace in Jakarta, the President said he had spoken with president Gianni Infantino of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) about the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy.

“On Monday night, I called the FIFA president, president Gianni Infantino, myself to discuss the incident at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang. FIFA has the authority to make any decision,” he said when asked about potential sanctions from FIFA. (WER/SAN/ITA/Z10/WKM/CAS/DIA)

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.