Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Opening of the National Fellowship Session of the 2026 Indonesian Convention on Science, Technology, and Industry (KSTI) Exhibition Hall B, Jakarta International Convention Center, Central Jakarta

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
Good afternoon,
May peace be upon us all,
Shalom,
Salve,
Om swastiastu,
Namo Buddhaya,
Greetings of virtue.

Your Excellency Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia Mr. Gibran Rakabuming Raka;
Your Excellency Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Professor Brian Yuliarto;
Your Excellency the Chairperson of the Association of Rectors of Indonesian State Universities, who is also the Rector of Gorontalo State University Professor Dr. Ir. Eduart Wolok;
Distinguished Coordinating Ministers, Ministers, Heads of Agencies, the Attorney General, the Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces, the Chief of the Indonesian National Police, the Vice Ministers, and members of the Red and White Cabinet;
Distinguished rectors, professors, directors of universities, directors of polytechnics, heads of higher education service institutions, deans, lecturers, and all members of the academic community from public and private universities throughout Indonesia;
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, and members of the press and media.

I would like to extend my sincere apologies for not mentioning each member of the Red and White Cabinet, as well as all rectors and professors individually, as there are so many present here today. There are rectors and institutional leaders from 261 higher education institutions in attendance. If I were to mention them one by one, I would surely get complaints from the organizing committee. Nevertheless, it is a great honor for me to speak before so many professors. I have always believed that professors are among the most intelligent individuals in any nation. Therefore, if a country is to rise and progress, it must harness and mobilize the potential and capabilities of its universities and campuses.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As people of faith, let us continue to offer our gratitude to the Almighty God. For Muslims, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, the Lord of all creation. To Him alone do we pray, and to Him alone do we seek help. We are thankful for all the grace and blessings bestowed upon our nation. In a world full of war, conflict, hatred, and hostility, we are still able to live in peace. We are also grateful for the health and life that continue to be granted to us, so that today we may gather at this national fellowship under the theme “Strategy for Economic Self-Reliance and the Prosperity of Indonesia,” within the framework of the Indonesian Convention on Science, Technology, and Industry (KSTI).

It is a great honor for me to meet all of you. I have met with university rectors from across Indonesia before, and this is the fourth meeting that I have attended as President of the Republic of Indonesia. Two were held at the Merdeka Palace, and one at the Bandung Technology Institute.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

What I said earlier was not merely a courtesy. It is the reality. Our professors are indeed among the most intelligent people in Indonesia. Throughout the history of civilization, every innovation, every transformation, and every advance in every nation has always come from the best thinkers. Human progress is shaped by science and technology, in general form. From small human communities that once lived by moving from place to another in search of food, humanity eventually discovered agricultural technology, then created agrarian societies over hundreds and thousands of years of development, which brings us to the present day.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The purpose of building a nation and a state must be clearly understood, that is to create a decent and prosperous life for our people. That is the true purpose of a state. Everything we do must lead toward that goal. Therefore, as the person entrusted by the Indonesian people with the responsibility of leading the government, it is my duty and obligation to face the challenges of our nation and to seek solutions. From the beginning, I have been deeply aware of the role and importance of scientists and professors. That is why, as you can see, I have assigned professors in strategic positions in nearly every key area of government.

One lesson in leadership that I have learned throughout my journey is that a leader, like a ship’s captain, must have a reliable crew to reach its destination safely. That is one of the most fundamental principles of leadership. If we want to win in football match, we need a strong manager, a capable coach, well-trained therapists, well-trained staff, and the best team. Only then can we become champions. The same applies in every field. It is not the technology, it is not the equipment, it is the men and the women behind the equipment. This is something we must recognize. It is meaningless to have the most advanced aircraft if the pilot is not competent. For that reason, I am truly grateful for this convention’s initiative in including this national fellowship session.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to share several assumptions. In every meeting, I always begin with this assumption. I assume that all of us here certainly love our nation and our people. Indeed we have many differences. We differ in ethnicity, religion, background, ideology, history, and experience. We also differ in profession. Some are doctors, some civil engineers, some mechanical engineers, some aircraft engineers, some archaeologists, some anthropologists, some linguists, some former soldiers, and some entrepreneurs. Our backgrounds are different, and our life experiences are different as well. Yet with this shared premise, with our love to the country, I believe we should be able to find common ground amid our differences. This is something I have learned from history, as history is one of my passions.

From what I have learned over thousands of years of history, nations whose elites are able to work together are the nations that rise. Nations whose elites are unable to cooperate are unable to realize their full potential. History teaches us this. Even today, we can see this in the world around us. Look at what is happening in Ukraine and in Europe. Although many of the people involved share the same race, ethnicity, and religion, the war has already caused tens of thousands of deaths every month. The war in Ukraine has already lasted longer than the Second World War.

We also see what is happening in Gaza, Palestine, and Lebanon. Ninety percent of Gaza has been flattened, with consequences perhaps comparable to Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Lebanon is in a similar condition. Iran, the entire Gulf region, Yemen, Afghanistan, Balochistan, Myanmar, and even the increasingly nearby conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, all of these remind us that one of the key factors behind such crises is the inability of elites to cooperate.

Therefore, in governance, I believe we must reflect seriously on the meaning of nation-building. This is what I would like to convey at this remarks. I always try to speak in a persuasive manner. As a political leader, I was elected democratically. I ran for the president five times, and was not successful four times. I lost four times, but I never interfered with the elected leader. Thank you, because when I say I lost four times, the audience usually laughs. In fact, in Indonesia, losing is not something to celebrate. But I understand this, because I also understand what the alternative would be. The Indonesian people have already agreed that we want to live in a country where sovereignty rules with the people. The embodiment of that sovereignty is democracy, and the embodiment of democracy is elections. We understand this. We may not always be fully satisfied, but what is the alternative? Do we want endless disorder? If every election ends in chaos, if every loss leads to unrest, when will we ever move toward prosperity for our people?

Is it not our duty, as children of the nation, as leaders, and as the most intelligent people in this country, to devote all our knowledge and ability to serving the poorest and weakest among our people? If anyone holds a different view, that is their right. But I would say this: we are different. If some believe that noise, unrest, arson, anarchy, hatred, hostility, and insults are productive, while other nations are moving toward prosperity, breakthroughs, and wealth, then so be it.

That is why I have repeatedly visited campuses. I come and ask the smartest people, ask Minister Brian, ask Professor Sigit. I ask the professors at the Bogor Agricultural University: why can we not produce our own wheat seed? Why must we import wheat? I ask why oil palm productivity per hectare in Malaysia is higher than ours. Why is that? I also ask why, after 81 years, Indonesia has still not been able to build its own car. I stand before you, all of you with PhDs, and ask why do we not have our own factories? We buy 10 million motorcycles every year. Why is there no factory built by Indonesians? Yet I am grateful to our campuses, because we are beginning to move toward producing our own car. Thank you.

I have one deep sense of pride in my heart. When I was inaugurated, I returned from the ceremony in a car made in Indonesia. The design is Indonesian, and it is made in Indonesia — not 100 percent, because no car in the world is produced entirely by a single country — but if 65 or 70 percent is made in Indonesia, then we can already call it Indonesian-made. The consequence is that, as long as I serve as President, I should ride in an Indonesian-made car.

In the first few months, it was fine, except when it rained heavily. In heavy rain, it did leak a little. But I returned it and said, “Professor Sigit, what is this? The President’s car is leaking.” Fix it, no problem. The important thing is that we have started. We must be brave enough to begin. We are the fourth-largest country in the world. We are a nation with extraordinary wealth.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is my opening remarks. The main substance is still to come. And to our journalists and media, with all due respect, I invite you to enjoy coffee outside. I am sure Mr. Brian, as the organizer, has prepared good coffee for you. Here, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to speak directly to the professors, heart to heart. I want to share the data, facts, and insights that I have. As scientists, please examine them, study them, and analyze them. If, on scientific grounds, you consider those data and facts relevant, then please draw your own conclusions.

(EST/MMB)