RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia recorded its strongest performance in three decades at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, securing a total of 91 gold medals. The achievement was highlighted by Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir during a parliamentary hearing in Jakarta, Tuesday, 27 January, 2026.

Speaking before the meeting, Erick praised the Indonesian contingent for exceeding the government’s initial target of 80 gold medals. He described the result as a historic milestone that reflects significant progress in the country’s sports development.

“Our original target was 80 gold medals, but we managed to win 91. This is an achievement we have not seen in the past 30 years,” Erick Thohir said.

The minister noted that the strong medal haul has strengthened Indonesia’s position among Southeast Asia’s leading sporting nations. He emphasized that the result provides valuable momentum as regional competition continues to intensify.

Despite the success, he cautioned that future challenges remain, particularly ahead of the 2027 SEA Games in Malaysia. As the host nation, Malaysia is expected to push hard for overall championship honours.

“The next SEA Games will be held in Malaysia. As the host, they will certainly aim to become overall champions. We will have to compete intensely with Thailand and Vietnam,” he said.

The minister stressed that the Indonesian government has begun preparing early strategies to increase its gold medal tally in 2027. He said evaluations and planning are already underway within the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

“That is why I am encouraging our departments to start preparations and evaluations now for the 2027 SEA Games,” Erick said.

During the same hearing, Erick also outlined reforms within the ministry, including improvements in governance, management systems, and transparency across sports programs. These measures, he said, are aimed at sustaining Indonesia’s competitiveness at future international sporting events.