Mahfud Md Reveals Dilemma as Indonesia Dropped from Hosting U-20 World Cup

TEMPO.CO, Yogyakarta - Coordinating Minister for Political, Law, and Security Affairs Mahfud Md said that Indonesia's being stripped of the right to host the 2023 U-20 World Cup left a dilemma that needed to be scrutinized.

Moreover, FIFA’s decision to remove Indonesia as the host of the upcoming international football tournament was preceded by the rejection by some of the public and state officials against the participation of the Israeli national team.

“We are faced with a dilemma. On the one hand, there is the extraordinary spirit inherited from Bung Karno (President Soekarno) that we must follow, especially regarding Indonesia's stance towards Israel,” said Mahfud at the UGM Yogyakarta Campus Mosque on Sunday evening, April 2.

Mahfud recalled that in the past, Bung Karno decided to withdraw from being a member of the International Olympic Committee and established Ganefo for defending Israel-occupied Palestine. “To Bung Karno, Israel at that time was okay (recognized) as a country, but an imperialist as it discriminated against and seized Palestinian rights,” he explained.

So at that time, Bung Karno at the Asia-Africa Conference and the United Nations emphasized his stance that as long as Israel did not return rights and territory to Palestinians, Indonesia would not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

“However, in the current conditions, there are new needs that we did not expect,” Mahfud said.

Among the new needs is that Indonesia must be involved in global peace and international relations, among others, through sports such as football which is now under FIFA. “Indonesia joined FIFA for the sake of national football development. This is also state demand,” he added.

“This is our dilemma. On one side, we are demanded to be involved in world peace through sports, but on the other hand, there is a matter of diplomacy (relationships with Israel). So it is not easy for us either,” he argued.

Mahfud said the government was trying to find a middle ground so as not to violate the founding principles of Bung Karno who were anti-imperialist but could still be involved in world peace through the world cup. However, FIFA finally decided that the U-20 World Cup was canceled in Indonesia.

“Hopefully, FIFA sanction will not be too heavy for the development of our football,” Mahfud Md pinned hopes.

PRIBADI WICAKSONO (CONTRIBUTOR)

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