WSBK Claimed to Make a Loss of IDR 100 Billion, NTB Governor: ITDC Don’t Just Want to Enjoy It

– The Governor of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Zulkieflimansyah spoke about the loss claimed by the tourism BUMN Holding, PT Aviasi Wisata Indonesia (Persero) or known as In Journey regarding the implementation of the World Superbike or WSBK which is said to have reached IDR 100 billion.

For this loss, it is said that WSBK will be removed from the Mandalika Circuit calendar. Related to this, Zulkieflimansyah stated that it was not time for In Journey and ITDC to complain about profit and loss problems. The reason is that socialization has not been maximally carried out to the wider community, he even accused ITDC and In Journey of not having carried out socialization regarding WSBK.

“In my opinion, it’s reasonable (if you lose), because after all, the hosting is expensive. But in my opinion, if the MotoGP event has only been held twice and is even profitable, WSBK should also be able to (profit) at the Mandalika Circuit. The problem is that not only the community, ITDC and In Journey, there are still many who don’t know what WSBK is like. That’s why we need more intense outreach,” he said.

Furthermore, the Governor, who is familiarly called Bang Zul, shared his experience managing the MXGP at Samota Sumbawa, which at that time also lacked sponsors. But he didn’t complain about that. Zul assessed that if there was a live broadcast during the event, according to him, many sponsors would be interested.

“Like there is a live broadcast of the new WSBK, so do the people, why do I dare to say this, because we have experience managing MXGP. Indeed, there are not many sponsors like MotoGP, but if there is a live broadcast later, I don’t think it’s only WSBK, the intensity of the sponsors is also a lot. So that the trillion rupiah investment can come back,” he explained.

Apart from that, according to Bang Zul, the holding of the WSBK and MotoGP events at the Lombok Mandalika Circuit had a positive impact on the people’s economy. Starting from SMEs to tourism actors.

“Now, for example, WSBK or MotoGP are losing, but overall there have been many positive impacts. We must of course have empathy for the organizers, so that others don’t enjoy it but the organizers themselves come up short. We just need to find a compromise,” he said.

Zul added, he encouraged BUMN to take a more massive approach, so that big companies would sponsor every event such as WSBK and MotoGP at the Mandalika Circuit.

“What we mean is, if the Provincial Government with all its limited experience can be brave, our SOEs should be brave. For example, now Pertamina is financing other things, there is becoming a sponsor at Pertamina’s MotoGP. Maybe there is an approach that hasn’t been done yet, if it’s right I don’t think there’s a problem,” he said.

Zul added, before each WSBK and MotoGP event will be held at the Mandalika Circuit, the NTB provincial government is always busy in promoting these international class events to the wider community. In fact, all ASNs participated in buying tickets to enliven the event.

“If we can manage the MXGP, we actually want to say to WSBK and ITDC don’t just want to make things easy, when WSBK and MotoGP are busy, we are all kinds of things. So, if anything goes wrong, we will also lose,” he concluded