Menpora continues to implement budget efficiency to ensure it is targeted

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir stated that the ministry he leads will continue to implement budget efficiency to ensure it is targeted according to the needs and development targets in the fields of youth and sports.

“Of course, we at the Ministry of Youth and Sports will continue to optimise the budget to make it targeted. That is what we are doing currently,” Erick said after attending the 2026 Members’ Meeting of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) in Jakarta on Saturday.

The budget efficiency implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) has recently come under public scrutiny because it has resulted in the cancellation of several programmes, including the 2026 Pra National Sports Week (Pra Popnas).

In addition, the National Prestigious Sports Development Centre Programme (SPOBNAS) for the 2026 fiscal year has also been temporarily suspended.

However, the Menpora assured that flagship programmes such as preparing athletes for multi-branch events like the 2026 Asian Games will continue to run.

He said that he has heard input from the KOI as well as sports branch managers regarding funding for building sports achievements due to the impact of budget efficiency and so on.

The Menpora assured that despite the budget efficiency, President Prabowo Subianto’s support in developing sports is unquestionable.

“He (President Prabowo Subianto) is a sports figure, he is part of national sports. Including myself, I am also part of national sports,” he said.

Furthermore, the Menpora explained that although there is efficiency, his side is still submitting requests to the Minister of Finance in accordance with the President’s directives to carry out national training camps (pelatnas) on an ongoing basis.

Pelatnas, he said, is carried out periodically such as short-term pelatnas for the 2026 Asian Games, medium-term pelatnas for the 2027 SEA Games, and subsequently for the 2028 Olympics.

“This is what we are rearranging with the Ministry of Finance. I hope that the team in the cabinet, which also leads many federations, can help by speaking with other (cabinet) members,” he said.

The Menpora feels optimistic that many cabinet officials involved in the sports world can help provide understanding regarding the pelatnas programmes desired by the President.