REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo expects the Asian Games fever to set in among members of the community as the event draws closer. the Asian Games fever should have set in among members of the community by now, he said.

"However, it is currently still only warm, not hot; let alone a fever," he noted during an Asian Games promotion function at the State Palace here on Tuesday.

President Jokowi, as he is popularly called, had invited artists, athletes, and musicians to seek their involvement in the promotion of the 18th Asian Games scheduled to be held from Aug 18 to Sept 2 in Jakarta and Palembang.

The president stated that the Asian Games is a big event, as representatives from various countries will visit the country. "A total of 49 countries will participate in the Asian Games that will soon begin. This is a huge event," he remarked.

Also read: Ancol to hold Asian Festival during 18th Asian Games

In view of this, the president said he had invited various parties to boost the Asian Games fever in the country. "The country calls for the Asian Games fever to set in. All community members must experience the Asian Games fever," he stated.

The president has called on anyone, with ideas, to come forward and implement them, so that the fever would spread and be felt stronger among the masses.

"That is what I wish for by inviting you all here. I do not know how to do it. The most important aspect is that the people will have fever," he added.

Meanwhile, earlier the vice-director for promotion "Look of the Game and City Beatification" of the Indonesia Asian Games 2018 Organising Committee (INASGOC), Nirmala Dewi, said  the 2018 Asian Games organizing committee will sell tickets online to people to register their personal data for security reasons. It was also considering selling tickets directly to the public at the game venues.

"There will be an Asian Games special ticket operator to manage sales in accordance with the standard set by the OCA (Olympic Council of Asia). About the quota and the rules, we will announce it after the entry by number (list of athletes and officials) reaches the committee," she said , here on Friday (June 1).

The most important thing now was to familiarise the public with the plan to sell tickets online, she said.

"The public should know the Asian Games are different from the SEA Games. The level of the Asian Games is just one step below the Olympics. Therefore, the events at the Asian Games will have higher value; so we need to put a ticketing system in place," she said.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika