TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo also known as Jokowi, said that he has signed the Presidential Regulation on the organization of Asian Games 2018. President Jokowi calls on the organizing committee to boost its performance.

"I have signed [the Presidential Regulation], and it will be enacted soon," President Jokowi said during a limited meeting on Asian Games 2018 at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, April 18, 2017.

Earlier, the absence of a Presidential Regulation on Asian Games 2018 hampered the event's progress. The Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee (INASGOC) as the organizer of Asian Games cannot obtain the fund or find additional funds without the Presidential Regulation.

The Asian Games 2018 that will be held in Palembang and Jakarta was predicted to cost up to Rp 8 trillion (USD 601.5 million). So far, the organizing committee managed to pool Rp 500 billion (USD 37.6 million) from the State Budget.

The organizing committee has planned to raise additional funds from dozens of sponsors, who are expected to provide funds amounting up to Rp 1.5 trillion (USD 112.8 million).

President Jokowi said that promotional activities would be vital for the Asian Games 2018. Therefore, President Jokowi called on the organizing committee to seize the opportunity to provide added values to the event.

President Jokowi also called on the organizing committee to pay attention to the condition in the field. President Jokowi said that preparation must be monitored in order to anticipate and address issues that might occur.

ISTMAN MP