inp.polri.go.id - Medan. The request for an audit of the use of funds for the 21st National Sports Week (PON) in Aceh-North Sumatra 2024 is not an attempt to create pressure or concern among organizers and athletes. The request is actually intended to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds, as well as to maintain the integrity of the implementation of large-scale national events.

This was emphasized by the Minister of Youth and Sports Ario Bimo Nandito Ariotedjo, at the PON XXI Media Center for the North Sumatra Region, Medan, on Friday (9/13/2024) evening.

The Minister of Youth and Sports responded to allegations circulating on social media regarding alleged corruption in the implementation of PON. According to him, the accusations emerged quickly and were baseless which relies only on very limited examples.

"My statement is a response to the accusations that developed rapidly after PON had just started. Several parties immediately accused corruption without sufficient evidence," said the Minister of Youth and Sports.

Ario added that since the beginning, the government has formed a Management Task Force involving the Criminal Investigation Unit and the Attorney General's Office's Intelligence Agency to strictly supervise the use of the PON XXI budget.

"We want the public to know that the entire supervision process has been running and supervised by the authorities, so we assure you that accusations of misappropriation or corruption have no strong basis," he explained.

Ario hopes that the audit will bring comfort to all parties after PON is over. "We want to make sure that after PON is over, all parties who have worked hard can feel assured as all processes are audited with transparency and accountability," he said. 

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