During Wednesday’s hearing in Jakarta that involved the Youth and Sports Ministry, National Sports Council (KONI) chief Marciano Norman raised questions about the sustainability of the venues and requested help from Commission X to support their maintenance after the PON, which will be held in the easternmost province of the country.

He noted that some of the venues for the 2008 PON, which had been held in East Kalimantan, were neglected after the games.

“The East Kalimantan [administration] constructed an equestrian venue for the [2008] PON that was very expensive but now has turned into a market,” he said.

“I hope Commission X, along with KONI and the ministry, can look after the venues. [The facilities] must be the center of sport development in the country. The money used to build the venues would be wasted if they are not properly utilized,” Marciano added.

The PON in Papua will see athletes compete in 37 sports in Jayapura city, as well as in the regencies of Jayapura, Mimika and Merauke, from Oct. 20 to Nov. 2, 2020.

Venue construction progress has passed the 50 percent mark but work on several facilities has fallen behind schedule.

Work on the Istora Kampung Harapan indoor stadium and the Kampung Harapan Aquatic Arena in Jayapura regency has almost reached the halfway mark and is due to be completed in July.

About 6,400 athletes, 3,200 team officials and 2,800 officials are to participate in the event.

The head of youth empowerment at the Papua Youth and Sports Agency, Rivo Manansang, said he planned for the venues to be managed as a public service agency under the Papua Bangkit Sports Complex after the Games. The complex also houses a shooting range.

The local government would treat the Doyo Baru Sports Complex — for the field hockey and cricket competitions — in Jayapura regency as a public service agency, he added.

“We have invited the management of [Jakarta’s] Gelora Bung Karno sports complex and the Jakabaring Sports Complex to learn about the utilization of venues,” he said.

Djohar Arifin Husin of the Gerindra Party urged the Papua administration to coordinate with its education and culture agency to establish a sports academy, saying an academy would make the best use of the venues.

Similarly, Muhammad Khadafi of the National Awakening Party suggested that the hosts of future PON events build their sporting venues within or near universities, as they could use such facilities.

"The construction of venues for the next edition of the PON [in 2024], hosted by North Sumatra and Aceh, should focus on areas of universities, so that the venues can be utilized by [students],” he said.

Meanwhile, Rian Firmansyah of the NasDem Party urged the involvement of sport stakeholders, such as KONI and sport federations, to help manage sporting venues. He said the stakeholders’ involvement would push them to be more creative in generating money to maintain the venues.

Security in Papua after recent unrest in the province was another concern raised during the hearing. Marciano said he had advised all contingents competing in the Games to include police and military personnel in their respective security teams.

“We are coordinating with the Papua Police and the Cendrawasih Military Command [Kodam] in Papua on security,” said the former State Intelligence Agency chief.

“The police and military personnel in each contingent will act as connector to the Papua Police as well as Kodam Cendrawasih if something happens,” he added.

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