Wimbo Satwiko & Arientha Primanita

Sriwijaya FC defender Slamet Riyadi, left, trying to tackle PSM Makassar midfielder Adnan Buyung during their Indonesian Super League match on Sunday. (Photo: Yusran Uccang, Antara)

Indonesian Football Schedule Scuttled By Security Fears

Meet the new season, same as the old season.

Evoking uneasy parallels to the previous Indonesian Super League season, which was beset by constant fixture uncertainty, the Jakarta Police extended their ban on events in the capital that have the potential to draw large crowds until at least Nov. 1.

Football matches are chief among those events kept on the shelf until after the presidential inauguration on Oct. 20. The ban was scheduled to expire on Oct. 21, but the police extended it, citing standard police procedures.

“We haven’t banned football matches, we’re just recommending that the events be postponed until November because we’ll face the presidential inauguration,” Jakarta Police spokesman Chief Comr. Chrysnanda Dwi Laksana said on Monday. “We have to anticipate any potential conflict that may lead to security disruptions.”

“We extended [the ban] until November because we have to take security precautions before and after the inauguration.”

The decision left capital clubs Persija Jakarta and Persitara North Jakarta in a familiar state of limbo. Persija has not played a match in Jakarta since Feb. 11, with Persitara’s last home date on Feb. 25. The clubs spent the final four months of last season as nomads after Jakarta Police barred matches during the legislative and presidential elections.

Persija was scheduled to host Persijap Jepara on Oct. 21 and Persela Lamongan on Oct. 24, and Persitara was set to host Persebaya Surabaya on Oct. 22 and Persik Kediri on Oct. 31.

The ban also put league administrator PT Liga Indonesia in a difficult spot. Super League rules state clubs must report to the PTLI at least 14 days prior to a match if they fail to secure a match permit or risk a forfeit.

However, PTLI chief executive Joko Driyono said the matter was not the clubs’ fault.

“I think the solution would be rescheduling, but it won’t be easy for Persija as it has a very tight schedule in November,” he said.

“The national training camp will start on October 25. It’s up to the Indonesian Football Association and the National Team Body whether they let players play for their clubs. We want a win-win solution for both parties.”

The Indonesian national team will travel to Iran for a friendly on Nov. 7 before heading to Kuwait for an Asian Cup qualifier on Nov. 14. It is scheduled to host Kuwait in the return match on Nov. 18, its first home game since Jan. 28.

Persija technical director Benny Dollo said the club would ask to have the matches rescheduled.

“Jakmania [the Persija supporters’ club] has yet to watch their beloved club since March, and we’ll also lose home-field advantage if we move the matches somewhere else,” he said.

Persitara manager Harry Ruswanto agreed, saying, “We have high hopes that we can play all our home matches in Jakarta after choosing Lebak Bulus as our home ground.”

The ban also hurts Pelita Jaya, which decided to hold its matches in Lebak Bulus this season while its new home, Singaperbangsa Stadium in Karawang, West Java, undergoes necessary renovations. It now plans to play its home matches at Siliwangi Stadium in Bandung.

Your View

See Result