TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo asserted that the government should not intervene in the extraordinary congress of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), said Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali.

“The government just follows it, should not intervene in it,” said Amali at the Jakarta Merdeka Palace after reporting the progress of the congress to the President on Tuesday, November 1, 2022.

PSSI decided to accelerate its extraordinary congress following the Kanjuruhan stadium disaster. The congress is one of the recommendations of the Joint Independent Fact Finding Team (TGIPF) of the Kanjuruhan Tragedy established by the President.

PSSI has also notified the extraordinary congress via a letter to the world’s football governing body FIFA on Monday, October 31. As reported on its official page today, PSSI hoped to get FIFA’s recommendation as soon as possible before November 7, 2022, so it can inform the members at least 60 days prior to the agenda.

Amali also emphasized that the government handed over the matter to PSSI in accordance with existing regulations. “There is a FIFA statute, and PSSI has a statute. That's why we don't interfere at all,” he said.

The government, Minister Amali went on, will maintain the independence of the Indonesian football federation. “So that they can run according to its internal [regulations],” said the Golkar Party politician.

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