Merauke — The Secretary General of the South Papua KONI (Indonesian National Sports Committee), Ir. Jaya Ibnu Su’ud, S.T., stated that the Provincial Sports Week (Porprov) plays a vital role in the athlete development process at the regional level. He delivered this statement during the Interactive Dialogue at RRI Merauke on Thursday (November 13, 2025).
The Secretary General explained that Porprov serves as a selection platform for the best athletes who will represent the province at the 2028 National Sports Week (PON) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). This year, 13 sports disciplines are being contested, the result of coordination and consensus among all provincial sports federation administrators.
“The 13 sports branches we’ve set were decided through coordination and mutual agreement with all provincial sports administrators. This is part of the process for selecting athletes who will compete in the upcoming sports week,” he said.
However, he emphasized that outstanding athletes from other disciplines will still have opportunities to be recruited for the Pre-PON 2026–2027 preparation phase.
In addition to its function as a training and scouting platform, Jaya highlighted that Porprov is also expected to have a positive economic impact on the region. He explained that KONI South Papua has planned to involve Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the event’s implementation.
“We’ve planned to involve MSMEs so that the event brings additional benefits beyond sports. Through activities like this, we hope MSMEs involved in Porprov can gain added value and contribute to local economic growth,” he explained.
Jaya emphasized that MSME participation ensures Porprov is not merely a sporting event, but also a momentum to stimulate local economic activity and create tangible benefits for the community.
He also underlined the importance of character building from an early age through sports. According to him, young generations can learn discipline, sportsmanship, and responsibility while maintaining their physical and mental health.
“Sports development shouldn’t focus solely on achievements, but also on shaping strong, disciplined, and ethical individuals—from school age to professional athletes,” he concluded
