Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia At the Opening of the Indonesia Innovation Expo 2020, Tuesday, 10 November 2020 at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java Province

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

May prosperity be upon us,

Om Swastiastu,

Namo Buddhaya,

Greetings of Virtue.

Distinguished Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia Professor Kiai Haji Ma’ruf Amin;

Distinguished Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet;

Distinguished Heads of Non-Ministerial Institutions;

Distinguished Excellencies Ambassadors of Friendly Countries;

Distinguished government partners, observers of research and innovation, researchers and innovators, research and innovation association;

Ladies and gentlemen.

I warmly welcome and appreciate the exhibition of the Indonesia Innovation Expo.

Innovation is the key to transformation.

Innovation is the energy to make changes.

Innovation is the solution to solving problems.

Innovation is the asset to winning the competition.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen innovations play an important role. All countries are competing to be at the forefront, to be the fastest, and to be the best through various innovations in various fields.

In Indonesia, we have witnessed many innovations being developed to tackle the pandemic. For innovation in the health sector, for instance, we will develop our own vaccine, the Merah Putih Vaccine. The country’s innovators have also discovered tools needed for to speed up the handling of COVID-19, one of which is GeNose which functions to detect the virus through breath easily and quickly.

A number of research communities also continue to develop effective medicines and therapies for COVID-19 treatment. Those innovations have proven that we have many talented innovators ready to fight for the nation’s independence and excellence.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Innovation could not just show up. Innovation needs a favorable ecosystem. This expo is one of the examples of that ecosystem. We must continue to facilitate cooperation between stakeholders, strengthen multiple helixes, strengthen collaboration between innovators and industries, the Government, as well as the society.

Through collaboration, the works of the country’s innovators will not stop or end as prototypes, but continue to be mass-produced and enter a commercial investment. It can provide enormous benefits. Not only to overcoming issues in the society, but also to improving added values of the national economy, as well as job creation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Indonesia needs more innovators in various sectors important for public demand including food, energy, and health sectors, as well as innovation in management, business models, and digital entrepreneurship. Therefore, I call on innovators to contribute to the nation and state progress for a better life and humanity.

And that concludes my remarks.

By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, I officially open the Indonesia Innovation Expo.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Om Santi Santi Santi Om.

Translated by Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by M. Ersan Pamungkas