Sports Minister Assures PON Papua to be Held on Schedule

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali has assured that the National Sports Week (PON) will be held as scheduled in Papua province from October 2 to October 15, 2021.

There is no need for any side to be worried about COVID-19 transmission as the government has committed to vaccinating athletes, officials, and local people against the infection, he said after receiving Papua Vice Governor Klemen Tinal at his office here on Tuesday.

“PON has no problem. It will be held on schedule. In fact, the provincial government has made an effort to protect local residents from COVID-19. We have a vaccination policy in place so it (PON) will be secure. Please come. Let us make PON Papua a success,” Amali said in a press statement released the same day.

The Youth and Sports Ministry is coordinating with the Health Ministry to ensure the availability of vaccine stocks and the implementation of the vaccination program ahead of the tournament, he informed.

Meanwhile, Papua Vice Governor Klemen Tinal assured that Papua is secure and the situation in the province is conducive to hosting the event. The venue for the event is far from areas torn by the conflict between security personnel and armed separatists, he added.

He also asked other regions not to be easily influenced by unconfirmed news deeming Papua unsafe.

“If there is any information that stated Papua is not secure, I want to clarify that Papua is safe. Everything related to PON is safe. The venue is safe. We warmly welcome (other regions’ participation),” he remarked.

Read: Police Need Time to Crush Separatists in Papua: Senior Official

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