ACEH TAMIANG — In the aftermath of the devastating floods that have deeply affected the lives of communities across Aceh Tamiang, the region needs renewed energy to rise again. Recovery must not focus solely on infrastructure and economic rehabilitation, but also on the advancement of sports as a powerful means of bringing communities together and developing a new generation of talented athletes.
In this spirit, Syamsul, Chairman of the DPC Badan Advokasi Indonesia (BAI) Aceh Tamiang; Hendriko Lubis, Chairman of the DPD Sekber Wartawan Indonesia (SWI) Aceh Tamiang; and Mustakim, S.Ud., M.H., Chairman of Da’i Aceh Tamiang, have called for the upcoming election of the Chairman of KONI Aceh Tamiang to become an important momentum for rebuilding the region’s sporting achievements following the disaster.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO RESUME CONTENT
The three figures conveyed their views during a meeting at a café in Karang Baru on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
They emphasized that the KONI leadership election must be conducted democratically, transparently, professionally and objectively, while upholding the principles of sportsmanship. The process should produce a leader with the capacity, integrity, network and commitment to advance all sports disciplines across Aceh Tamiang.
“We are not merely choosing a chairman. We are choosing the future direction of sports in Aceh Tamiang.”
According to the Chairman of DPC BAI Aceh Tamiang, KONI has a strategic responsibility to develop athletes, strengthen sports organizations, improve the quality of coaches and promote sustainable sports development. Therefore, the future KONI leadership must work professionally and place the interests of sports above group or personal interests.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of DPD SWI Aceh Tamiang expressed his readiness for the media to play an active role through independent, balanced and constructive journalism, particularly in monitoring the election process and conveying the aspirations of athletes, coaches and members of the sporting community.
The media, he stressed, should serve as a bridge of information for the public, ensuring that the democratic process within the sporting community is communicated openly and responsibly while preventing misleading information.
At the same time, the Chairman of Da’i Aceh Tamiang called on all parties involved in the election process to uphold trust, honesty, brotherhood and the interests of the community.
Following the disaster, sports should also become part of Aceh Tamiang’s social recovery. Sports facilities must once again become active spaces, children must regain opportunities to develop their talents, and athletes must receive proper and sustainable support.
The leaders of DPC BAI Aceh Tamiang, DPD SWI Aceh Tamiang and Da’i Aceh Tamiang also appealed to the entire sporting community to maintain unity and accept the election results with maturity and sportsmanship.
Aceh Tamiang needs a sports leader who can work, not merely speak; unite, not divide; and develop athletes from village-level fields to provincial, national and even international achievements.
The flood may have left deep wounds, but it must not extinguish the spirit of achievement.
Now is the time for Aceh Tamiang’s sports community to rise. Through an integrity-driven KONI election, it is hoped that strong and capable leadership will emerge—leadership that can make sports one of the driving forces behind Aceh Tamiang’s recovery and future development.
Aceh Tamiang Rises — Sports Advance, Athletes Excel, the Region Grows Stronger.
(Saut Simanjuntak)
