TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government is urged to immediately issue a Presidential Decree (Keppres) on the 2018 Asian Games as a legal basis for the event’s organizing committee.

Without the Keppres, Indonesia as the host of Asian Games will not be able to negotiate changes of several articles in the host city contract."

Indonesian Olympics Committee (KOI) chairwoman Rita Subowo said that Indonesia objected to several articles in the contract and sought to negotiate some changes.

According to Rita, the contract that was signed with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in Incheon last September stipulated that the time for the event's preparations was seven to eight years, while Indonesia only had three years and six months to get ready.

Some of the issues to be negotiated are the funding and promotion and broadcasting of Asian Games. “If the organizing committee has been officially formed, we can negotiate the host city contract,” said Rita on Thursday.

Alwi Assegaf, the deputy assistant for sports at the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Ministry, said the Keppres was being finalized.

“We are still asking for approval from several public figures whose names are listed as committee members in the Keppres,” said Alwi, adding that the Keppres was targeted for completion in mid-April.

GADI MAKITAN