September 9, 2026 | 06:08 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto promised athletes who successfully bring home gold medals from the 20th Asian Games in Japan a bonus of Rp3 billion. This bonus is three times larger than the gold medal bonus for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.
Prabowo said he had received a report from Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir stating that gold medalists at the 2025 SEA Games would receive a bonus of Rp1 billion. "But this is the Asian Games; the gold medal bonus is Rp 3 billion," Prabowo said while bidding farewell to hundreds of athletes for the 2026 Asian Games at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
The Head of State claimed that the previous government also provided career advancement rewards for silver and bronze medalists. These rewards were not only given to athletes but also to coaches.
Prabowo gave the example of a coach who used to be a police officer with the rank of chief police adjutant (AKBP). However, the coach had not received a promotion for years. "I whispered to the Police Chief (Police General Listyo Sigit Prabowo) to promote him; let's not be stingy," said Prabowo.
The Gerindra Party chair emphasized that high-achieving individuals should be rewarded. "If there's an Indonesian saying, I don't know about now, but in the military, if we do good, the commander tends to forget, but if we make mistakes, the commander doesn't forget. So if mistakes are remembered, and goodness is forgotten," said Prabowo.
He added, "Let's change this, right? Let's appreciate the goodness we do."
Today, President Prabowo bid farewell to the Indonesian contingent of 430 athletes from 35 sports branches to compete in the Asian Games in Japan. The 20th edition of Asia's largest multi-sport event is scheduled to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
Minister Erick Thohir said that of the total number of athletes dispatched, about 281 attended the official farewell procession at the Presidential Palace. This is because some contingent members were already at the competition venue or undergoing training abroad.
Read: Prabowo Calls on 430 Athletes to 'Give Their Best' at Asian Games
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