JAKARTA, MERCINEWS.COM – Asian Sepaktakraw Federation (ASTAF) President and International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF) Secretary-General Datuk Abdul Halim Kader has urged Indonesia to strengthen its refereeing standards through the ASTAF Indonesia Sepaktakraw Referee Training 2026, organized by the Indonesian Sepaktakraw Association (PB PSTI) at Jakarta State University (UNJ) from July 16 to 20, 2026.
The five-day program is seen as a strategic initiative to prepare Indonesian referees to meet international officiating standards and support the country’s long-term development of the sport.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Thursday, Abdul Halim Kader said the training was a direct follow-up to discussions between PB PSTI and ASTAF held about three months earlier. He praised the Indonesian federation for translating its commitments into concrete action.
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“This five-day training program in Jakarta is the result of the meeting between PB PSTI and ASTAF three months ago. It demonstrates PB PSTI’s leadership in not only formulating development programs but also implementing them as part of its commitment to advancing sepaktakraw,” he said.
Abdul Halim Kader delivered the remarks alongside ISTAF President Boonchai Lorhpipat and PB PSTI chairman Surianto.
He also commended PB PSTI for bringing together participants from provinces across Indonesia, saying the initiative would help ensure more consistent refereeing standards nationwide and strengthen the country’s officiating system.
According to Abdul Halim Kader, referees play a crucial role in maintaining the credibility of competitions and must uphold integrity, professionalism and impartiality in every match they officiate.
“The most important qualities of a referee are responsibility, integrity and commitment to applying the rules of the game. Professionalism and independence are the foundations of high-quality officiating,” he said.
He expressed hope that participants would meet ASTAF and ISTAF competency standards and be ready to officiate national and international tournaments beginning in November 2026.
PB PSTI chairman Surianto echoed the same commitment, describing the ASTAF Indonesia Sepaktakraw Referee Training 2026 as part of the federation’s broader strategy to improve the quality of Indonesia’s refereeing workforce.
“Through this program, PB PSTI aims to produce more internationally certified referees who can officiate according to global standards while supporting higher-quality competitions and strengthening Indonesia’s competitiveness in Asian and world sepaktakraw,” Surianto said.(red)
