By: Moses Waker ) *
The community appreciates and supports the implementation of PON XX in Papua. It is hoped that the national sports event can hone the talents of the younger generation and strengthen the brotherhood among the nation’s children .
The General Chairperson of the Central KONI had said that several provinces did not budget sufficient funds for the Regional KONI, because at the time of the preparation of the 2021 R-APBD, several provincial governments still assumed that PON would be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic that had not subsided.
La Nyalla Mahmud Mattalitti as Chairman of the DPD RI, invited provincial governments throughout Indonesia to make PON and Peparnas a success in Papua. Not only that, he also provided solutions related to additional budget support from the Provincial Government for each regional KONI.
On a different occasion, the woman leader in Wamena, Marta Itlay, invited all people in Papua to make the XX PON in Papua a success.
He said that the community must be enthusiastic about participating in supporting the implementation of PON 2021 in Papua.
Marta said the support for PON activities in Papua should also be supported by young people in Papua as the nation’s successor. Therefore, do not let us be influenced by things that are detrimental and hinder the implementation of PON XX 2021 in Papua.
The former Captain of Persipura Jayapura, Eduard Ivakdalam, admitted that he was amazed by the venues that had been built in the four clusters. According to him, that way Papua is very much ready to host the XX 2020 PON.
In line with this admiration, former 1996 Indonesian League best player Ronny Wabia said that he was very supportive of the biggest sports event in Indonesia.
Ronny is optimistic that by holding the XX PON event in Papua coupled with the construction of a number of magnificent venues, it will be a place for potential athletes from Tanah Papua to be born in the future.
He hopes that at the XX PON event, Papuan athletes can achieve the best achievements at home.
PON has a long history, the event was first held in 1948 under conditions of war and blockaded by the Dutch, the Indonesian government was not afraid to hold the first major National Sports Week (PON) celebration. President Ir Soekarno himself attended the opening on September 9, 1948.
At that time PON did not only organize sports events, PON also contained a political message, where the PON was held to show the Netherlands that Indonesia is a sovereign country.
Of course, a new history in Papua will be printed in September, where the implementation of PON in Papua is a new civilization and historical leap for the people of Papua.
The implementation of PON in Papua will bring in many athletes from all over Indonesia. For this reason, the community must be a good host and help the implementation of PON to run well and smoothly.
Zainudin Amali said the government had not yet planned to issue a postponement or cancellation option because it still hoped that the Covid-19 pandemic could end soon.
Of course, various options must be prepared from various regions and sports have been done long ago. His party still hopes that the Covid-19 disease or corona virus will end soon so that the plan to hold PON on time can continue.
Along with ongoing preparations, he is also preparing to prevent the spread of corona. Of course, by limiting things that involve a lot of people, which will definitely affect the workers who prepare the athletes’ venues or lodging places.
Amali said that the government certainly had to calculate and evaluate with the spread of the corona virus.
For PON, his party will evaluate its development next month. The government must talk to the Central and Regional KONIs and the leaders of the sports branches to make decisions,
PON implementation in Papua is not only a place to win medals. The most important thing is to become an arena for strengthening the bonds of brotherhood, the bonds of unity and solidarity between regions.
President Joko Widodo had reminded that PON in Papua is not just a sports competition. But PON is a common arena to celebrate diversity, strengthen the spirit of brotherhood and an arena to strengthen unity and integrity. So that in the midst of this pandemic, of course all parties will continue to prepare themselves as well as possible.
PON is an important multi-event event, where the success or failure of the event is also influenced by the support from the community that helps conduciveness during the PON.
) * The author is a Papuan student living in Bali
