Kapanlagi.com - In a recent meeting of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Ahmad Dhani, a musician and member of the DPR from the Gerindra faction, proposed a rather unique idea regarding the naturalization of football players. He suggested an unconventional approach: not only recruiting active players but also considering players over the age of 40. Interestingly, Dhani argued that these players could be matched with Indonesian women, so that their children are expected to become future football stars.
This controversial proposal was made in the context of discussions about granting Indonesian citizenship (WNI) to three footballers of Indonesian descent, namely Dean Ruben James, Emil Audero Mulyadi, and Joey Mathijs Pelupessy. According to Dhani, the naturalization strategy should be thought of with a long-term vision, not just as an instant solution to improve the current national team’s quality.
"This idea is part of a revolution in the world of football; revolutions must be extreme. Naturalization doesn’t have to involve active players; it can also involve football players over 40 years old or widowers, and we can match them with Indonesian women. We hope their children will become football players," explained Ahmad Dhani, a member of Commission X of the DPR RI, during a working meeting with the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia held on Wednesday (5/3/2025), as quoted from YouTube TVR PARLEMEN.
Dhani emphasized that his proposal to match foreign football players is specifically for men and does not involve foreign female footballers.
"Men, if they are Muslim, can have up to four wives, sir. Maybe from Arab, Algeria, Morocco, there are many good older players we can find matches for here (in Indonesia)." this is for the future, so the child is born in Indonesia and we nurture them, they can definitely become a good football player," added Dhani.
1. Responses from Erick Thohir and the DPR to Ahmad Dhani's Proposal
Dhani's proposal was made during a meeting to grant Indonesian Citizen (WNI) status to three football players of Indonesian descent. The three athletes are Dean Ruben James, Emil Audero Mulyadi, and Joey Mathijs Pelupessy.
Ahmad Dhani's unusual proposal received various reactions from other DPR members, including PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir. In a circulating photo, Erick Thohir and several DPR members can be seen laughing, indicating that the idea may be considered unique or not entirely serious.
This response shows that although Ahmad Dhani's idea sounds interesting, there are still many aspects to consider before it can be realized as an official policy. Is this strategy truly applicable, or is it merely an out-of-the-box thought that is difficult to implement?
The statement from this famous singer has sparked a variety of public reactions, one of which can be seen in the Instagram column @ussfeeds.
“Thought it was a cat, like a village cat matched with a Persian to improve the offspring,” commented @re**
“Better to stay silent if you have an idea, than to embarrass yourself,” wrote @va**
“Does he think women are what? Baby-making machines?,” commented @va**
“POV: a casual conversation enters a DPR meeting,” wrote @fv**
“Oh God, my taxes are paying for this kind of thing,” commented @ra**
2. Ahmad Dhani Wants Naturalized Players to Resemble Indonesians
In a colorful meeting, Ahmad Dhani presented a unique idea about matchmaking foreign players with Indonesian women, but not only that, he also criticized the selection of naturalized players which he deemed inappropriate. According to him, Indonesia should prioritize players who have physical similarities with the majority of its population, rather than those who look like Westerners.
"We need to reduce the number of foreign players, with blonde hair and blue eyes. If possible, find players whose race resembles ours, whether from Korea or Africa, it doesn't matter, as long as their skin color is similar to ours," added Ahmad Dhani in the meeting.
3. Naturalization of Players: Short-Term vs Long-Term Focus
In the midst of a heated debate about the strategy of naturalizing players in Indonesian football, Ahmad Dhani presented a rather unique perspective. He argues that bringing in foreign players of Indonesian descent could indeed be an instant solution to improve the quality of the national team, but he prefers a long-term approach.
According to him, player regeneration should ideally start from children resulting from marriages between foreign players and Indonesian women. Dhani even suggested that the government plan this program for the year 2026.
"This proposal is somewhat out of the box, but it can be budgeted for the 2026 program," said Dhani.
However, he emphasized that the naturalization process is not an easy matter; besides having to comply with existing regulations, the naturalized players must also have a high commitment to fight for the red and white flag on the field.
4. FAQ
1. What is naturalization in football?
Naturalization in football is the process by which a foreign player obtains citizenship from a country in order to play for that country's national team.
2. Why does Indonesia frequently naturalize players?
Naturalization is done to improve the quality of the national team by bringing in players who have Indonesian descent or foreign players who are considered capable of making a significant contribution.
3. Are there specific rules in the naturalization process for football players?
Yes, naturalized players must meet administrative and legal requirements, including having a lineage connection or having lived in the country for a certain period.
4. Is Ahmad Dhani's proposal for naturalization through matchmaking realistic?
Conceptually, this idea sounds unique, but its implementation will be difficult as it requires specific regulations and may not necessarily be feasible as an official policy.
(kpl/rmt)
Disclaimer: This translation from Bahasa Indonesia to English has been generated by Artificial Intelligence.
Follow
Rekomendasi
