Anindya Bakrie Nominated to Lead Indonesian Aquatics for 2025-2029 Period

Jakarta, VIVA – The majority of provincial boards have endorsed Anindya Bakrie to continue leading Indonesian Aquatics (Akuatik Indonesia/AI) for the 2025-2029 period.

For context, provincial boards hold the official voting rights and will determine the AI chairmanship election during the AI National Congress, set to take place from March 14-16 in Jakarta.

"As of March 6, 21 out of 30 provincial boards have already submitted official letters of support, urging Anindya Bakrie to remain as Chairman of Indonesian Aquatics. We hope the remaining Pengprovs follow suit, so we can achieve a unanimous acclamation," said Ali Patiwiri, AI’s Secretary General.

With 21 endorsements from the 30 voting provincial boards, Bakrie now stands as the sole eligible candidate for chairman, as AI’s election rules require a minimum of 10 active Pengprov votes to nominate a candidate.

"If 21 letters of support have already been received, there is no possibility of another candidate entering the race, and Anindya Bakrie is guaranteed to be re-elected by acclamation as AI Chairman for 2025-2029," Sarman Simanjorang, Head of the Election Committee and also AI’s Vice Chairman, explained.

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Ketua Umum Kamar Dagang dan Industri (Kadin) Indonesia, Anindya Bakrie

Photo :

• VIVA.co.id/Anisa Aulia

The 21 provincial boards that have officially endorsed Anindya Bakrie as Chairman of Indonesian Aquatics include Aceh, Bangka Belitung, Yogyakarta, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, South Papua, Riau, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, North Sumatra, Central Java, Gorontalo, Central Kalimantan, East Java, Southeast Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, South Sumatra, West Java, West Sumatra, and Bali.

As information, Anindya Bakrie has been widely recognized for his significant contributions to the development of Indonesian aquatics, with a number of historic achievements under his leadership.

One of the most notable milestones was Indonesia’s first-ever SEA Games gold medal in water polo, breaking Singapore’s 50-year dominance in the sport.

"We, from the North Sumatra Provincial Board, fully support Pak Anin to continue as chairman. His dedication to AI has been remarkable, including the development of a roadmap to enhance Indonesia’s performance at the SEA Games, Asian Games, and even the Olympics," said Kabir Bedi, Chairman of the North Sumatra AI Provincial Board.

A similar sentiment was expressed by Boby T. Pitoby, head of the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Provincial Board, who highlighted Anindya Bakrie’s role in elevating Indonesian aquatics to a higher level.

"Under his leadership, athlete development at the regional level has also improved, giving them more opportunities to compete at both national and international levels," Pitoby stated.

Meanwhile in the international stage, Bakrie has also made history as Indonesia’s Chef de Mission (CdM) at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the country secured its first-ever two gold medals from two different sports—sport climbing and weightlifting—along with a bronze in badminton.

"This achievement solidifies Anindya Bakrie as a prominent figure in Indonesian sports," Pitoby added.

Verdia Yosep, Chairman of the West Java Provincial Board, also reaffirmed his support for Anindya Bakrie’s leadership, emphasizing his commitment to organizational independence and long-term planning for Indonesian aquatics.

"He has already laid out programs extending through 2032 and 2045, with the goal of qualifying more Indonesian athletes for the Olympics. On top of that, his 'AYO Berenang' movement has been incredibly impactful in promoting swimming nationwide," Yosep stated.

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"We, from the North Sumatra Provincial Board, fully support Pak Anin to continue as chairman. His dedication to AI has been remarkable, including the development of a roadmap to enhance Indonesia’s performance at the SEA Games, Asian Games, and even the Olympics," said Kabir Bedi, Chairman of the North Sumatra AI Provincial Board.