T

he Indonesian Sports Council’s (KONI) new chief, Tono Suratman, said that he has a number of solutions to solve the conflict between the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) and a number of clubs that have rebelled against the national soccer body.

“I actually have several solutions for the disagreement. However, I need to meet with representatives of both parties first,” Tono told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Tono said that the opposing parties needed to settle the problem immediately for the sake of the nation.

“What is important is that we cannot be too strict about things, as this could hamper our efforts to reach our goals,” Tono said.

“Now, we have reconciliation as an alternative way out, because we need to get out of this matter for the sake of something more important: the nation.”

The PSSI, under the leadership of Djohar Arifin Husin, received a vote of no confidence from 452 clubs who grouped themselves in the so-called Indonesian Soccer Rescue Committee (KPSI).

The KPSI has urged Djohar to step down from his seat as they have lost trust in the PSSI chief over controversial decisions the body has taken within the first six months of his leadership of the association. They have also demanded that an extraordinary congress be held to discuss solutions to the stand-off.

However, PSSI chief Djohar Arifin Husin has said that there is no need for an extraordinary congress.

Also on Wednesday, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Andi Malarangeng said the government would not approve any form of extraordinary congress held as an option to solve the PSSI leadership fiasco.

“We are totally against the extraordinary congress. We don’t want to be trapped again in dealing with the PSSI management. We already have had five congresses just to get the current management in place,” said Andi, adding that the best way to solve the leadership mess was through the Indonesian Sports Council’s (KONI) mediation and or arbitration by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).