Preventing such irregularities from happening again in the ministry would be the first task that Zainudin needs to perform, said sports expert Djoko Pekik Irianto, adding that the Golkar Party politician must assign credible personnel to work under him.

“The main task in the near future for the newly appointed sports minister is to assign people who have high integrity and real competence [in performing their respective tasks],” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Indonesian Sports Council (KONI) deputy chief Yayuk Basuki echoed Djoko’s statement, saying the minister should stop the corrupt practices that involved his predecessors Imam Nahrawi and Andi Mallarangeng. Imam was recently named a suspect in a corruption case pertaining to a grant given to the council, while Andi was convicted in another case involving the construction of the Hambalang sports complex in West Java. Andi has finished serving his jail time.

“Honestly, I thought that [in the new Cabinet] sports and youth affairs would be separated [after the recent corruption case involving Imam],” said the former national tennis player.

She then expressed her disappointment that a politician was given the ministry’s top seat, saying that it meant President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo still had not yet made sports a priority.

“The person who [should have] taken the position is one who fully understands sports. I know I should not be pessimistic [as his term has just started]. I hope his subordinates could give [him] useful input and advice,” she said.

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