INDONESIA — Indonesia’s Football Association (PSSI) has agreed to hasten the conduct of its extraordinary congress (KLB) amid the ongoing investigation into the deadly stampede at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, a month ago that resulted in 135 dead.
The extraordinary congress which aims to elect a new chairman and new members of the executive committee (Exco), is one of the recommendations from the government-backed independent joint-fact-finding team (TGIPF).
PSSI’s willingness to speed up the KLB was a response to the formal requests submitted by six top-tier clubs in the country’s leagues; PSM Makasar, Persis Solo—owned by Kaesang Pangareb, the youngest son of Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo—Arema Malang, Persebaya, PSIS Semarang, and Madura United.
The association had earlier held an executive committee emergency meeting on 28 October attended by 12 exco members in response to the request for the extraordinary congress.
“As per the sound of article 34 paragraph 2 of the PSSI statute on extraordinary congresses, it should be at least a 2/3 of the delegation (voter) representing PSSI members making written requests, then Exco PSSI will begin the verification phase to then carry out the Extraordinary Congress within three months after the verification process is complete,” said PSSI chief Mr Mochamad Iriawan — also known as Iwan Bule, as cited from PSSI website on 29 October.
Mr Mochamad also said: “But Exco PSSI decided to accelerate the extraordinary congress of elections by paying attention to letters sent by its two members, it is hoped that Exco PSSI does not want divisions between its members and because exco PSSI is the mandate chosen by the delegation (voters) representing PSSI members. We will start with the extraordinary stages of the congress by sending a notice to FIFA containing the congressional proposal.”
On 31 October, PSSI sent a formal letter to the world’s football governing body FIFA to inform the former’s plan to accelerate the extraordinary congress.
PSSI expects FIFA to issue a recommendation regarding the extraordinary congress before 7 November for PSSI to inform their members about the congress at least 60 days before the special election.
PSSI Media Relations Bandung Saputra told TOC that PSSI would start an ordinary congress to establish the Election Committee and the Election Appeal Committee on 7 January 2023, as stated in the association letter sent to FIFA.
“There are stages. We will start from the Ordinary Congress first, then the Extraordinary one,” he said.
PSSI’s decision to accelerate the extraordinary congress – expected to be held in March 2023 – is also spurred by the desire to resume its leagues that were suspended due to the stampede.
The call for Iwan Bule’s resignation has been mounting on social media platforms since the tragedy at Kanjuruhan Stadium. As of 1 November, more than 31,000 signed the petition to call for Iwan Bule’s resignation at change.org.
Head of Indonesia’s Football Supporters Communication Forum (FKSI), Richard Ahmad Supriyanto, hopes that football fans will help to monitor the extraordinary congress and ensure the investigation into the tragic stampede continues.
“We hope FIFA will quickly respond to PSSI’s request (to accelerate the KLB). Of course, we also hope the KLB is not merely a joke. There must be a total structural reform within PSSI’s body and system,” said Mr Richard to TOC, adding that supporters must demand a full investigation into the Kanjuruhan tragedy, which is now the world’s second deadliest event in football history.
The horrific tragedy occurred when 11 police personnel fired tear gas in Malang Kanjuruhan Stadium as fans stormed the pitch after the East Java Derby match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya, where the match ended with a victory for the visiting side.
FIFA Stadium Safety and Regulation does not allow the use of tear gas and firearms to control the crowd.
Police later shared that this caused spectators, especially in the stands, to try to flee from the arena. Many who were caught in the stampede suffered broken bones, trauma, and fractured heads, and some died of asphyxia.
To make matters worse, tickets were sold beyond the stadium’s capacity and the gates at the exits were locked, trapping the panicking tens of thousand of spectators.
So far, the National Police have named six suspects in the incident, including the Head of PT Liga Indonesia Baru (LIB) – Indonesia’s league operator – Akhmad Hadian Lukita.
Investigations are still ongoing, with the National Police hinting that a new suspect would be announced soon without elaborating more detail about the new suspect’s institution.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, on 18 October, met President Jokowi and PSSI chairman, aimed at working together with the government and football stakeholders to transform and reform the country’s football.
Minister of Youth and Sports Zainuddin Amali has guaranteed that the Indonesian government would not intervene in the KLB.
“We, the government, confirm that we will not intervene, especially in the PSSI Extraordinary Congress decided by PSSI. It is their domain. So, they can execute whatever they decide,” the minister said in a press briefing after the meeting with the president at Merdeka Palace on 1 November.
