Deaf Athletes Raise Independent Funds to Compete in a Championship in Malaysia, Here is the Explanation from Indonesia's Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora)

The Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) confirmed that government funding support operates under formal mechanisms and legal basis, specifically for organisations recognised as the official national representative of a sport at international level.

This official statement from Kemenpora was issued in response to independent fundraising efforts for Indonesian deaf athletes scheduled to compete at an international tournament in Malaysia.

Acting Deputy for Sports Culture Development at Kemenpora, Budi Ariyanto Muslim, stated that the government may only disburse funding to organisations recognised by the relevant international governing federation.

"As regulated under the National Sports Law, all funding we may legally distribute can only be provided to organisations that hold official recognition from their corresponding international sports body," stated Budi Ariyanto Muslim during a press conference in Jakarta.

Federation Affiliation Dispute

The group of deaf athletes will compete at the Asia Pacific Deaf Multi-Sport event in Penang, Malaysia, held 3-10 October. According to Budi, the group organising these athletes is a separate entity from the internationally recognised national deaf sports federation of Indonesia.

Participation of these athletes in the tournament is being coordinated by the Indonesian Deaf Sports Association (Porturin).

Meanwhile, the only official Indonesian deaf sports federation with active affiliation to the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) is the Indonesian Deaf Athletes Association (Patrin), currently led by Dimyati Hakim.

This eligibility difference is cited as one of the primary reasons Kemenpora cannot provide funding support for the athletes' travel to Malaysia.

Alongside the organisational accreditation issue, Kemenpora is also operating under reduced budget capacity following the government's national budget efficiency policies.

This constraint means financial allocation for all sporting activities must be adjusted strictly according to pre-determined national priority frameworks.

Against this situation, independent community fundraising emerged as the only available alternative to cover travel and participation costs for the athletes travelling to Penang.

Budi expressed regret that this situation has resulted in public narratives claiming the government neglects deaf athletes.

"We also deeply regret the claims that have circulated, as if the government is absent and unconcerned for these athletes," he stated.

Para Sports Achievement Remains A National Priority

Surono, Kemenpora Deputy for Sports Performance Improvement, confirmed the government maintains continuous commitment to the development of para sports in Indonesia.

He referenced Indonesia's performance at the 2025 ASEAN Para Games in Thailand, where Indonesian para athletes secured 135 gold, 143 silver and 114 bronze medals to finish 2nd overall in the tournament rankings.

This track record confirms that para athlete development remains an integral part of Indonesia's national sports agenda. Kemenpora also maintains formal cooperation with the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Indonesia at both central and regional levels.

This partnership covers Indonesia's participation across all official para sports competitions, including the Deaflympics for deaf athletes, ASEAN Para Games and Asian Para Games.

Beyond athlete coaching and tournament participation, government support also extends to training infrastructure. This includes dedicated funding for the construction of the Indonesian Paralympic Training Center in Karanganyar, Central Java.

This facility is recognised as one of the most advanced para sports training centres in Southeast Asia, and is projected to become a core asset for developing Indonesian para athlete performance in the long term.

"Kemenpora will always be present to support para sports achievement, including full end-to-end support for preparation programmes all the way through to the Paralympic Games," he concluded.