REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) received Liliyana Natsir, a badminton athlete, who was just "hang up her rackets," at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday. Jokowi, accompanied by Minister of State Pratikno, welcomed Natsir, who was escorted by Minister of Youth and Sports Imam Nahrawi in the front room of the Merdeka Palace at 9:40 WIB.

Furthermore, the president invited Liliyana, familiarly called "Butet," to the main room of the Merdeka Palace along with Pratikno and Nahrawi. The president and the queen of Indonesia's mixed double, Liliyana, spoke for some 30 minutes and then updated the reporters waiting in the front room of the Merdeka Palace.

Butet's last match -- Indonesian mixed double Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir "Butet" greet the supporters after a match against Chinese players Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong in the final of Daihatsu Indonesia Masters 2019 at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Sunday (Jan 27).

"Indonesia experiences a big lost over the retirement of Liliyana Natsir. Not only Indonesia but also the world will miss Liliyana," Jokowi stated.

The president said that "Butet" had delivered achievements in various major matches, including the Olympics, World Cup, and other major tournaments. Jokowi expressed hope that the achievements of "Butet" would inspire junior players to emulate him.

"I said earlier, soon (Butet) will become a civil servant, be a state apparatus, so they can motivate and move to several regions. What will be done to be able to achieve," the president hoped.

Butet expressed gratitude for being accepted at the Palace and expressed readiness to motivate the younger generation to achieve.

"I am ready to offer motivation, so that the younger generation is more accomplished, and the tradition of winning gold medals at the Olympics can still be retained," Butet added.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika