Indonesia and the Asian Games: Sport, Nationalism and the 'New Order'

Indonesia's achievement and engagement as the host of the fourth Asian Games in Jakarta was not only a big leap towards adopting the knowledge and skills of modern sport management and reaching international athletic standards, but also a triumph of nationalism. Through the games the Indonesian people established their national identity and rebuilt their self-esteem. Let by President Soekarno, the games were used as a symbol to break Western hegemony and to establish a `new order' in the world.