Jakarta (ANTARA) - Governor Anies Baswedan has accepted a petition to rename the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) after national hero Mohammad Husni Thamrin presented by members of the public and advocates for the name change.

The petition was presented by historian J. J. Rizal at the Jakarta City Hall on Wednesday and received by Baswedan.

"We will accommodate (the suggestion), but there will be another consideration (on whether) to accept (the proposal) or not," Baswedan stated before attending the plenary meeting for Jakarta's 495th Anniversary.

The governor did not elaborate on further consideration to determine the official name for JIS despite accepting the public petition.

"Thank you, (but I clarify that) the proposal will not be necessarily approved. However, I will accept (the petition) first," he remarked.

Meanwhile, Rizal, who advocates for the name change, said that over 5,700 people had signed the petition published through the Change.org platform.

"Why Thamrin? Because not only (was he) a national hero, (but he was also) part of the Betawi community and is a football hero," the historian remarked.

Responding to Baswedan's clarification that the proposal will not be necessarily approved, he said that the proposal must be accepted.

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"The first (reason) is that the stadium is yet to be named, and it will be disappointing if (the governor were to) reject the proposal ,as it will be a perfidy against the history of Jakarta and Indonesia," Rizal stated.

JIS, currently without an official Indonesian name, was earlier expected to be officiated at the closing ceremony marking Jakarta's 495th Anniversary on Saturday (June 25).

The plan was scrapped, and the stadium will be officiated next July instead, according to province-owned property company PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro).

"Hopefully, (the stadium will be opened) next July," President Director of Jakpro, Widi Amanasto, stated on Tuesday (June 21).

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Translator: Dewa Ketut SW, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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