ACEH TAMIANG, INDONESIA — The upcoming election for the chairman of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) in Aceh Tamiang Regency has continued to draw attention from the local sporting community. In the latest development, Ir. Ali Angkasah, Chairman of the Aceh Tamiang Cricket Sports Association, has expressed his support for Hendriko Lubis, Chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (SWI) in Aceh Tamiang and Chairman of the Indonesian Shorinji Kempo Federation (PERKEMI) in the regency, as he enters the race for KONI Aceh Tamiang chairman for the 2026–2027 period.
Ali Angkasah conveyed his support during a meeting at a café in Karang Baru on Monday, October 12, 2026. His statement highlighted an important message: the future of local sports should not revolve solely around the competition for leadership positions. Instead, KONI’s leadership must address the real needs of athletes, coaches, and sports associations working to improve sporting achievements despite various challenges and limitations.
ALI ANGKASAH: KONI MUST REPRESENT EVERY SPORTS ASSOCIATION!
Ali Angkasah emphasized that Hendriko Lubis’s participation in the KONI Aceh Tamiang chairmanship race should be welcomed as part of a healthy organizational process. According to him, every individual seeking to contribute to the development of local sports should be given the opportunity to participate in accordance with the organization’s rules and established procedures.
“I support Hendriko Lubis in entering the race for chairman of KONI Aceh Tamiang. My hope is simple: KONI must truly become a home for all sports associations, not merely a place for officials to gather or ceremonial activities to take place. Athletes must be the priority, sports development must be strengthened, and every sports association must receive appropriate attention,” Ali Angkasah stated.
For Ali, the challenges facing sports in Aceh Tamiang extend far beyond winning medals during competitions. Fundamental issues—including grassroots athlete development, improving coaching quality, providing adequate facilities and infrastructure, and establishing clear development programs—require serious attention.
Without measurable planning and effective communication with all sports associations, efforts to achieve sustainable sporting success will remain difficult. He believes that a coordinated and inclusive approach is essential to building a stronger sporting environment throughout the regency.
Ali also expressed his hope that the election of the KONI Aceh Tamiang chairman would be conducted transparently and democratically, with full respect for the organization’s regulations. This would ensure that whoever receives the mandate can lead with legitimate organizational support and a clear commitment to advancing local sports.
HENDRIKO LUBIS: SPORTS MUST BE A PRIORITY, NOT JUST A CEREMONIAL ACTIVITY!
Responding to Ali Angkasah’s support, Hendriko Lubis expressed his appreciation for the confidence shown by Ali and other members of the sporting community who have taken an interest in his participation in the 2026 KONI Aceh Tamiang chairmanship race.
Hendriko emphasized that his participation should be viewed as an opportunity to present ideas, strengthen cooperation, and engage with stakeholders across the sporting community—not as an occasion to create divisions between individuals or competing groups.
“I would like to express my gratitude for the support and confidence shown by Mr. Ali Angkasah, Chairman of the Aceh Tamiang Cricket Sports Association. In my view, sports should not only become a topic of discussion during competitions, medal contests, or leadership elections. Sports must be developed through consistent athlete training, clear programs, transparency, and a genuine commitment to meeting athletes’ needs,” Hendriko said.
He further stressed that every sports association should have a healthy channel of communication through which challenges in the field can be raised and addressed collectively. He hopes that KONI will strengthen coordination, develop programs based on actual needs, and promote professional and accountable organizational management.
“I see KONI as a responsibility to build sporting achievements together. No sports association should feel that it has been left to struggle alone. We must listen to athletes, coaches, and sports association leaders. If entrusted with the responsibility through a legitimate organizational process, I want to encourage transparent governance, focused athlete development, and programs that can be openly evaluated,” Hendriko emphasized.
IT IS NOT ABOUT WHO OCCUPIES THE CHAIR, BUT WHAT THEY BUILD!
Ali Angkasah’s support for Hendriko Lubis highlights the importance of ideas and concrete programs in shaping the future leadership of sports in Aceh Tamiang. Differences in opinions and preferences during an election are a natural part of organizational life, provided that the process respects ethics, solidarity, and the applicable rules.
For the sporting community, the final election result is certainly important. However, ensuring a democratic process and leadership that embraces all sports associations without discrimination is equally essential.
KONI Aceh Tamiang needs realistic programs, sustainable athlete development, accountable financial management, and measurable performance evaluations. Support for any candidate must ultimately translate into practical work that benefits athletes and the wider community.
The central message behind Ali Angkasah’s support for Hendriko Lubis is clear: the future of sports in Aceh Tamiang must be built through collective effort, not merely through a change of names in leadership positions.
The success of KONI should not be measured solely by who becomes chairman, but by how effectively the organization creates opportunities for athletes to grow, provides greater certainty for sports associations, and promotes sustainable sporting achievements throughout Aceh Tamiang.
Sports need leadership that delivers results, programs with measurable objectives, and commitments that can be demonstrated through real action. The future of sporting excellence in Aceh Tamiang depends on turning those principles into reality.
(SIPS)
