“Youth organizations must become the standard by which we measure our youth development,” Thohir said during the ministry’s handover ceremony in Jakarta.
He emphasized that sports should serve as a unifying force, not a source of division, and called for a national consolidation among youth groups to build a stronger sense of unity.
“Youth leaders must sit together and discuss where this nation is heading because it will be you who lead in the future, not us,” he said.
Thohir also expressed his intention to initiate discussions with key figures in the sports ecosystem, including national sports federations, the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI), and the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI), to formulate a unified roadmap for youth and sports development.
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“We need to create a shared roadmap—not separate, fragmented ones,” he said.
He added that his leadership approach would focus on collaboration and support rather than issuing top-down directives.
“I’ll have a lot of requests. I’m an egalitarian person, but also firm. But believe me, my firmness comes from my love for my team,” Thohir said.
“Our success is not individual. It’s the result of the whole team working together,” he added.
Thohir also called for continuity, urging all stakeholders to build on the foundation laid by his predecessor, Dito Ariotedjo.
The ceremony was attended by several former Youth and Sports Ministers, including Adhyaksa Dault (2004–2009), Andi Alfian Mallarangeng (2009–2012), Agung Laksono (2012–2013), Roy Suryo (2013–2014), Zainudin Amali (2019–2023), and Dito Ariotedjo (2023–2025).
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Translator: Aloysius, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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