Indonesia's singles badminton champion Alwi Farhan on the podium during the 2025 SEA Games in Pathum Thani, Thailand. - - Reuters
JAKARTA: The Indonesian government presented its SEA Games 2025 medallists with a bonus payment during a ceremony at the official presidential palace, Istana Negara, on Thursday (Jan 8).
The medal winners, who helped Indonesia secure second place overall at the biennial games, were awarded a total of Rp495.25 billion in bonuses and honoured by President Prabowo Subianto.
Prabowo, in his remark, expressed his appreciation to the athletes and their achievements.
He emphasised that the bonuses are not meant as payment for their hard work, but rather as savings for the future.
"You can see how much the state values its sons and daughters who fight for the honour of the nation. When we grant financial rewards, the intention is for them to serve as your savings for the years ahead. It is not merely a matter of paying wages,” he said.
At the Bangkok SEA Games last December, Indonesia won 91 gold, 112 silver, and 130 bronze medals, securing second place overall behind host nation Thailand.
Earlier, Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir said in his speech that all medallists had received their bonuses via direct transfers to their bank accounts.
Thohir said individual gold medallists received Rp1 billion (US$59,000) each, the largest bonus ever awarded to Indonesian athletes, while silver medallists received Rp315 million ($18,000) each and bronze medallists Rp157 million ($9,000) each. - Bernama
