The government has refused to acknowledge the leadership of embattled Nurdin Halid and Noegraha Besoes of the national soccer association PSSI following a chaotic congress held recently in Pekanbaru, Riau.
“In order to prevent more failures in holding a PSSI congress due to the incompetence of its leaders ... the government herewith declares that it no longer acknowledges the leadership of PSSI under chairman Nurdin Halid and secretary-general Noegraha Besoes, or any sports activities held under their leadership,” Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng said in a press conference Monday.
He also said it was the government's prerogative to make such a decision, as stipulated in the 2005 law on the national sports system. The decision, he adds, “has been made for the sake of saving the PSSI and protecting national soccer”.
Andi also said the central and regional governments, as well as the National Police, could no longer facilitate the PSSI under the leadership of Nurdin and Noegraha.
“Thereto the government is temporarily halting any disbursement of funding from the state budget, until a new PSSI leadership is formed for the 2011-2015 period,” he added.
