Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia At the Gathering with the Indonesian Association of Interfaith Harmony Forum (AFKUBI), at the State Palace in Nusantara Capital, East Kalimantan Province, September 25, 2024

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Good afternoon,

May peace be upon us all,

Shalom,

Om Swastiastu,

Namo Buddhaya,

Greetings of virtue.

Distinguished Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Minister of Home Affairs, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, and Head of the Nusantara Capital Authority,

Distinguished Chair of theAssociation of Interfaith Harmony Forum of Indonesia (AFKUBI), Mr. Ida Pangelingsir Agung Sukahet,

Distinguished committee of the AFKUBI and Heads of Provincial Interfaith Harmony Forum (FKUB)  across Indonesia,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

First, I would like to welcome you to the Nusantara Capital. In the future, this city is designed to become a green city with the lowest emissions. To give you an idea, the air quality index here is six, while the maximum allowable level is 50. In Jakarta, the daily average is around 190. Not just in Jakarta, but in Greater Jakarta area or across Java [island], the levels are already above 100. This gives us a glimpse of what a future city looks like, a green and eco-friendly urban area with abundant green open spaces.

I often share that when receiving guests like prime ministers or presidents from other countries. Whether they visit the Bogor Palace, the Jakarta Palace, or even the Yogyakarta Palace, they are always in awe of the beauty of the buildings, saying, “Wow, these palaces are beautiful. The buildings are amazing.” I struggled to respond because I feel a sense of inferiority. I wanted to be honest and acknowledged that the palaces were not created by us but by the Dutch colonialists instead. It’s difficult to tell if their praises were a genuine admiration or subtly hinted at something else.

That is why the idea of moving the capital has emerged since the 1950s and 60s, in the era of Bung Karno, who had plans to move the capital to Palangkaraya. However, after my inauguration in 2014, I ordered the Bappenas (National Development Planning Agency) to conduct a study and check  possible sites for relocation. And after four or five years, the study was completed. There were options in Palangkaraya, South Kalimantan, Mamuju, and eventually East Kalimantan, where Nusantara is now located at.

I am pleased to announce that the construction work of the palace and the Coordinating Ministries’ buildings are almost finished. I am happy that these are built by our highly skilled workers. Nearly 99% of the materials used are sourced locally with no foreign elements. I was once asked, “Sir, why are the lights so beautiful? Are they from Italy?” I clarified that the lights are from Boyolali, specifically from Tumang in Boyolali, and I know who made them very well.

So, this is the palace of a great nation called Indonesia. The city is designed to lay the foundation for Indonesia’s future civilization, leading to the Golden Indonesia of 2045. Construction of the new capital has just begun, and the completion could take 10, 15, or even 20 years. I don’t think it’s ready to be used yet; there’s still a long way to go and a long journey ahead. But from the outset, it has been designed not only to promote development and showcase our new civilization through new ways of thinking, a fresh spirit of work, and modern working methods but also to foster unity and cooperation. It is an open and inclusive city for all groups, a city that is built on our diversity and a vibrant city shaped by our country’s numerous social interaction characteristics.

We also want the new capital to become a global and diverse city that is capable of significantly strengthening harmony and preserving our diversity as a great nation. As we are all aware, the world today is not in a good state. Many conflicts emerged in recent years that last a long time, along with ongoing wars in various parts of the world. In a time as modern as now, some wars still going on. Sometimes, when we think logically, it’s hard to believe that wars still exist in this new, modern civilization. Whether in Ukraine or Palestine and now with the conflict in Lebanon.  It signifies that unity, harmony, and tolerance are precious and highly prized in any countries.

We should be grateful that these harmony, tolerance, and unity values remain well-preserved in Indonesia. Thanks to your significant contributions, the FKUB and the AFKUBI are valuable legacies of our nation that we must continue to nurture and cultivate together. This can be achieved by prioritizing dialogue, instilling a sense of tolerance from an early age, and fostering the values of religious moderation.

I greatly appreciate the role of the FKUB in maintaining a peaceful, harmonious, and united atmosphere, ensuring that our unity and togetherness as a nation are well-preserved and continuously maintained.

Moving forward, I encourage all of us to maintain this favorable situation. As the Chairman mentioned earlier, I acknowledge that there are still minor conflicts and disagreements. Regardless of their scale, it is essential to prioritize initiating dialogue promptly to prevent these issues from escalating in our atmosphere of unity. Indonesia is known for its remarkable diversity, encompassing various ethnicities, religions, customs, and cultures. Any problems that could potentially divide us, no matter how small, should be addressed swiftly, calmly, and peacefully to ensure stability. This stability is crucial for our nation’s development and economic growth. A country in conflict and lacking unity cannot build effectively, that formula simply does not exist. A nation can only thrive when its political, economic, and social stabilities are well-maintained.

We will soon face two significant events. On October 20, a national leadership will transition from the current administration to the new one led by Mr. Prabowo Subianto. Additionally, in November, there will be a leadership transition at the regional level, including gubernatorial, regency, and mayoral elections across 508 regencies/cities and 37 provinces. These are significant events that will have a considerable impact on our country. I urge the FKUB to pay attention to the issues related to [events held in] October and November.

Finally, I hope our collective efforts to uphold unity and harmony will effectively lead our nation toward realizing the ideals of a golden Indonesia.

I conclude my remarks on this auspicious occasion. Once again, I deeply respect and appreciate the FKUB’s efforts in the regions at both the regency/city and provincial levels and within the AFKUBI. This signifies a substantial contribution from all of you to our beloved nation and country.

Thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(RY/MMB)