JakartaGlobe-Oct 5
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday ordered a safety audit of all stadiums that host the country’s national football leagues to assess the risks and potential hazards following post-match clashes between fans and security officials that killed 131 people in East Java last weekend. “I want to check stadiums myself and I will order the public works minister to perform a thorough audit of all stadiums used by Liga 1, Liga 2, and Liga 3,” the president said after visiting injured victims of the tragedy who are being treated at a local hospital in the East Java town of Malang. The safety assessment will include everything that could potentially lead to another disaster such as the size of the gates and how a huge crowd of fans is managed, the president said. “We must perform a total audit on everything because we don’t want a recurrence of what has happened at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in our country ever again,” Jokowi said. The president assured that the government will shoulder all medical costs of the injured victims and pay compensation to the families of those killed in the tragedy. Thousands of angry fans invaded the pitch at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in the town after home team Arema Football Club was beaten by bitter rival Persebaya Surabaya on Saturday night. Police tear-gassed the spectators who remain in their seat rows to prevent more people from coming into the pitch or attacking players and match officials.The use of tear gas is believed to be the main cause of the deadly incident in the chaos that ensued, as people ran in panic to the exits blanketed by thick gases. Local health officials said many people died from suffocation or in the stampede. Read more at: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/jokowi-orders-audit-of-major-football-stadiums-after-east-java-tragedy
