en.malanginspirasi.com – Indonesian badminton star Jonatan Christie has drawn widespread praise after announcing that he will donate 100 percent of his Asian Games bonus—totaling IDR 1.5 billion (approx. USD 95,000)—to assist victims of land and forest fire (karhutla) across Indonesia.
The 29-year-old shuttler, affectionately known to fans as “Jojo,” shared his decision in a heart-wrenching message on his official Instagram account on Saturday.
“When I saw the condition of our brothers and sisters impacted by the forest and land fires in Indonesia, I felt there was something I had to do,” Jonatan wrote in his post. “At a time when so many people are experiencing hardship, loss, and desperate need of help, I was given the opportunity to receive a blessing through this bonus.”
Jonatan, who competes as an independent athlete, acknowledged that the IDR 1.5 billion government bonus for his gold medal achievement at the Asian Games was far from trivial.
He noted that the money could have funded nearly a full year of international tournament travel and operational expenses for him and his support team.
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“It is certainly not a small amount for me,” Jonatan explained.
“However, after looking at the situation our brothers and sisters are facing, I felt that right now they need this help far more than I do,” he continued.
Rather than dispersing funds broadly, Jonatan outlined three primary relief focus areas aimed at immediate human relief and long-term environmental recovery.
First, a major portion of the funds will go toward providing emergency respiratory care and medical treatment for children suffering from acute respiratory infections caused by toxic haze.
Second, he is partnering with conservation organizations like Kalaweit to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals that have lost their natural forest habitats to the blazes.
Finally, the remaining funds will support long-term forest restoration in collaboration with environmental advocates Jerhemy Owen and Fery Irwandi to revive destroyed ecosystems.
Fans and fellow athletes flooded Jonatan’s Instagram comment section with messages of admiration, commending his selfless gesture and highlighting his role as an inspiration beyond the badminton court.
