Pencak Silat Shapes National Identity, President Prabowo Says
President Prabowo Subianto delivers remarks at the 16th National Conference of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI) at Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC), on Saturday (04/11).
President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday (11/04) stated that pencak silat is more than a sport. It reflects the identity, values, and characteristics of Indonesia, such as courage, honor, humility, and commitment to defending truth and justice, making it an integral part of the nation’s culture.
“Pencak silat is a part of our culture that teaches us about the code of chivalry,” he said in his remarks at the 16th National Conference of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI) at Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC).
He added that a knight or martial artist must possess both physical and emotional strengths. They should have good character and strong faith, as the proverb says: the greater a person’s knowledge, the greater the responsibility to remain humble.
“Our teachers teach us that the more knowledge we have, the more humble we become. It is humility, not inferiority. Respect, politeness, and courtesy are part of our culture. A knight always defends the truth, stands up for the weak, protects the oppressed ones, and upholds justice,” he said.
On that occasion, the President also underscored that pride in our culture is essential in facing globalization. The Head of State mentioned that he has always taken pride in wearing Indonesian traditional attires in various state events.
“We take pride in wearing the teluk belanga clothes, the kopiah, the sarong, and the songket. These are part of our culture. You are also aware that my predecessor, President Jokowi and other presidents wore traditional attires from various regions during national holidays or events,” he added.
Furthermore, the President reminded all that Indonesian people should not lose their identity and feel inferior to other cultures. As a great nation, he added, Indonesian should respect other countries while continuing to place respect to own traditional heritage as the priority. Therefore, the President lauded IPSI for playing an important role in preserving pencak silat as a cultural heritage of Indonesia that shapes the nation’s characters.
The President then called on all members of pencak silat community to preserve the teachings, strengthen the nation’s character, and instill pride in Indonesian culture amid the progression. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (RAS/AW)
