Even the President Gets a Little Caught Up in World Cup Frenzy

Jakarta Globe, Wimbo Satwiko, January 26, 2010

A fan kissing the 2010 World Cup Trophy while it was on display at the Jakarta Convention Center on Tuesday. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal)

With the trophy on show in Jakarta, a little World Cup fever spread around the country on Tuesday.

As thousands of football fans flocked to the Jakarta Convention Center, even President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono took an interest, talking about football during a train ride to Cirebon, on Tuesday, and pledging to make Indonesia’s football team regionally competitive.

“All of us together with PSSI [the Indonesian Football Association] should do things right. We will revitalize and resurrect Indonesian football to take on Southeast Asia,” Yudhoyono told Metro TV.

If well-managed, the president said, the national team could make its mark in Southeast Asia within five years. Yudhoyono said he would meet Minister for Youth and Sports Affairs Andi Mallarangeng soon to discuss the matter.

He also suggested the unorthodox idea that the country should consider establishing three national teams to represent West, Central and East Indonesia.

Commenting on the president’s sudden burst of enthusiasm for the game, PSSI secretary general Nugraha Besoes, said this was unlikely to be linked with the country’s 2022 World Cup bid.

“It’s splendid that the president has paid attention to football in the middle of his duties,” Nugraha said. “But, I don’t see any tie between the president’s speech and the World Cup bidding process.”

PSSI is currently waiting for a guarantee letter from the government as part of administrative requirements in the bidding process. FIFA has set Feb. 9 as the deadline for the sending of the letter.

With or without the government guarantee letter, PSSI chairman Nurdin Halid said he would pursue the bid.

“We have to get through many stages in the bidding process, and one of the requirements is to provide the guarantee letter from the government,” Nurdin said. “We’ll continue to with the process, and if we fail, then we will accept it.”

But the government is unlikely to give its support to the PSSI bid, with the sports minister saying it would be better if Indonesia improved its national team first.

“If we can improve our team, then we can qualify for the World Cup, wherever it is,” he said.

When asked whether the president would sign the letter, Andi said, “An official support letter signed by the president is a major document. Before the president signs it, PSSI has to clarify everything first.”