Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia Following the Destruction of 214.84 Tons of Drug Evidence Worth Rp29.37 Trillion During His First Year in Office at Bhayangkara Field of the Headquarters of the National Police of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta, October 29, 2025

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Good afternoon,

May peace be upon us all.

Shalom,

Salve,

Om swastiastu,

Namo Buddhaya,

Greetings of virtue,

Distinguished Chief of the National Police as the organizer Police General Listyo Sigit Prabowo and his ranks, high-ranking officials of the National Police Headquarters, and all members of the National Police wherever you are,

Distinguished Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly Ahmad Muzani,

Speaker of the House of Representatives Puan Maharani,

Ministers, Heads of Government Agencies, Vice Ministers, and members of the Red and White Cabinet in attendance, the Attorney General, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia in attendance,

Religious figures: Head of the Indonesian Ulama Council Kiai Haji Muhammad Anwar Iskandar, Chairperson of the Executive Board of Al Jamiyatul Washliyah Kiai Haji Masyhuril Khamis, Chairperson of the Indonesian Hindu Dharma Society Mayor General (Retd.) Wisnu Bawa Tenaya, Vice Chairperson of the Supreme Council for the Confucian Religion in Indonesia Chandra Setiawan,

Head of the National Narcotics Agency Commissioner General Suyudi Ario Seto,

Distinguished public figures, figures of labor organizations, Said Iqbal and Andi Gani in attendance,

Ladies and Gentlemen in attendance, youth organizations in attendance, representatives of university students,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished journalists in attendance,

First and foremost, as people of faith, let us never cease to offer praise and gratitude to the Great God, the Almighty God of Muslims, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, the Lord of the universe, to whom we pray and to whom we seek help.

Let us offer our gratitude for all the blessings, comfort, health, and kindness He has bestowed upon us, allowing us to gather this afternoon at this highly important event, the destruction of drug evidence, the hard work of the National Police throughout the year.

From October ’24 to October ’25, authorities managed to seize 214.84 tons worth Rp29.37 trillion. If preventive measures fail, law enforcement proceeds with confiscation and places suspects under arrest. The confiscated drugs could potentially be used by 629 million individuals, more than double Indonesia’s current population.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all members of the Indonesian National Police, wherever they may be stationed. Upon receiving the mandate to serve as President of the Republic of Indonesia and indeed even during the planning of my electoral programs, I have fully understood and recognized that eradicating corruption is of paramount importance. Furthermore, I acknowledge that all threats facing the nation and the state, be it physical, military, psychological, or political threats, including the threat of drugs, are grave and unfolding before our very eyes.

The scourge of frugs threatens the future of the nation; nevertheless, in the course of governance, there are issues that must be addressed with greater urgency. Upon receiving the mandate as president, the foremost priority I identified was the loss of state assets. It is impossible for us to realize our aspirations if we fail to control or manage our assets. Assets function as the lifeblood of a nation. Just as the human body cannot survive continuous loss of blood, so too will our nation falter if its asses are permitted to steadily diminish.

We can analogize a nation or a state as a body and wealth, resources as the blood. Resources eventually become money, but money itself comes from resources. If our resources leak, our blood is being drained. If this continues year after year, decade after decade, it does not require a genius or a PhD to see that in the end, we will fail as a nation. For that reason, at the beginning of my administration, I made efforts, first and foremost, to understand, to identify, to comprehend all of the sources of our wealth, and to consolidate them.

For that reason, I told the Police Chief, “Police Chief, I now entrust upon your shoulders the primary duties of the police.” I told the Police Chief, “I ask you to take the lead on these three issues for me: first, drug eradication; second, smuggling; third, online gambling.” [It was] at the beginning of the administration. I respect you, I do not intervene.

I did not ask you to use your influence for anyone’s benefit. I did nothing of the sort, did I, Police Chief? As for my former bodyguard, the police officer who accompanied me, I simply requested that he be considered for the Police Officer Candidate School. Can I ask that? That is a legitimate request, isn’t it? He is an outstanding non-commissioned officer. Please make him an officer. Out of hundreds of thousands, I asked you to pull some strings for how many people? Two or three, right? My former escorts, motorists who have been in the police for years. They put their lines on the line. Those motorists risk their lives in the rain. I was in the car, it was pouring, and they risked their lives. So, I admit, I did it, but that is a valid request, right? Come on, Generals, Ministers, you have done it too, right? It is okay for one or two people. However, I did not ask anyone to pull some strings for my nieces or nephews, did I? There must be no such favors. You must take responsibility.

I only asked you to focus on three issues because they are the priorities. I want to find the state assets. I noted, alhamdulillah, that the police have been working earnestly. Let us be transparent. I am someone who does not beat around the bush. Police are often criticized and blamed–I see that all around the globe—because their duty is to maintain order, isn’t it? I used to do that too when I was young. If the traffic light is red, I would check if there was a police officer. That is wrong, I admit, I did the wrong thing. It is the police’s duty to maintain order, but if we do something wrong, we get upset. We think all sorts of things. Why do the police hide in the dark. Are they waiting for me to make a mistake? Why did you make a mistake? Right? It means that you only want to follow orders if you are seen. This is not right.

Certainly, within an organization of hundreds of thousands, there will inevitably be a few bad actors. We do not turn a blind eye. I was a commander. I was aware that there were bad apples among my subordinates, but that is our duty. Let me give you an example. If there is a school and some of its students are involved in a brawl, is it the school’s fault? Are all the teachers at fault? Those children may be naughty, so they have to be disciplined. I suppose our institutions, be it the police, the military, or the attorney’s office, all of them are not hesitant to take action against their unruly members. I believe so, I believe so. However, the work of the police is often unseen and invisible, [including] how we prevent drug smuggling through sampan boats, through fishing boats at thousands of unregistered ports, Ladies and Gentlemen. Therefore, we face and overcome issues with our tradition and culture, by uniting the nation.

I always remind everyone that soldiers must be the people’s soldiers, and police must be the people’s police. The people must serves as the eyes and ears, reporting to village heads and community leaders. “Sir, last night at 1, there was a boat docking, there was a boat docking.” No boat docks at 1 AM at a quiet beach. The intention must be malicious. If the intention is good, they will arrive at the beach during the day. This problem is widespread worldwide. In fact, some drug cartels even have submarines. They have submarines.

Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me express my sincere appreciation. Thank you to the National Police. Over the past year, my attention was directed elsewhere, but I recognized and appreciate your commitment to the duties I assigned you at the start of my administration. You have fulfilled the three duties. You have now proven to the public that you have curbed the widespread proliferation of drugs, although it is clear that the cartels rarely admit defeat. That happens everywhere.

The police must stand even more ready and be united. Do cooperate with the military, with the Customs Office, with the military, with the Attorney’s Office, and all institutions. We must be a team. I always say that we need to work as a team. Do not work in silos. Do not be overly loyal to your corps. We are in one corps, the Red and White corps, the Indonesian corps.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the drug problem is a critical and strategic threat. If we lose this batle, achieving a developed-country status will be impossible. Impossible. In some countries, presidents have resorted to extreme measures. They shoot anyone caught with drugs in their hand immediately. As a result, children who may fall victim are shot dead. They are willing to take drastic measures since they desperately want to solve this problem.

Rehabilitation measures are ongoing, yet this remains an continuous responsibility. Rehabilitation must be more thorough and effective. I thank all institutions that have implemented such rehabilitation efforts. The goal is unattainable without collective action across all educational institutions, including religious education, as well as elementary, junior high, senior high schools, and universities. Therefore, scout programs and sports hold significant importance, and all organizational initiatives are essential for nurturing youth responsiveness.

Therefore, the [Free] Nutritious Meal [program] is highly strategic. Not a single one of our people should go hungry. That is my intention and objective. That is what I fight for, together with my team, with my cabinet. I am confident we can achieve it. By waging war against corruption, we will count every Rupiah, prevent losses on every project, save a considerable  amount, and have the courage to reform the system. If the system is flawed, we must have the courage to fix it, and there must be no government within the Government, no mafia within the administration. There must be no smart individuals within the administration who think they can outsmart others, outsmart political leaders, outsmart the people, because I have noticed that there are those who use the system to steal the people’s money, the state’s money. We must root this out completely.

I would like to once again express my gratitude to the National Police of the Republic of Indonesia. I am confident you will be able to uphold discipline within your institution. Similarly, the Indonesian National Defense Forces must also remain disciplined. Smuggling is an issue that affects us all: the Navy, Customs Office, and Water Police. We have water police, don’t we? The Coast Guard, the Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard Unit—they all must work in unison. All legal enforcement entities, attorneys, and the police, along with the Corruption Eradication Commission, the Audit Board, and the Development Finance Comptroller—we are all within one team. Just imagine what we could do for our people if we truly worked together effectively.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Indonesia is a vast nation. Our wealth is well known to all. What is required of us is the courage to manage that wealth. We must not hesitate to enforce the law and to uphold the truth. Wit that, I conclude my statement. Once again, thank you very much for your dedication. You still have a long journey ahead. The challenges before you are immense.

Congratulations on transforming 228 drug-affected villages into 118 drug-free villages. Please continue these commendable efforts. I observe that the police are becoming increasingly responsive to the needs of the nation and state. The police now stand at the frontline, together the military. In terms of food production, if one visits the United Kingdom or France, it might seem unusual for the police to be involved in matters such as corn production or kitchen affairs. Yes, this is Indonesia. We should not hesitate. Not everything advocated by the West is necessarily correct. If our practices seem unusual for them, we should respect the difference. However, we have the spirit of gotong royong (mutual cooperation). We are one family. The police have their own roles, as do the military. We all serve the people. If the people prosper, I believe the crime rate will decrease. If hunger and poverty are eliminated, I am confident the crime rate will be very low.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Someone who has no hope will be a criminal. That is my point of view. Work together, and we will unite.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Indonesia must be brave and embrace its own path. We are a democracy, yes, we can have different parties, we can compete, we can have regional and presidential elections, and that’s fine. But after competing, we must come together, cooperate, and work together. What is the point of holding onto hard feelings after losing a democratic election? We will not move forward. I always say that our success is thanks to the previous presidents, ministers, and governors. From Bung Karno’s era to now, we should not live in hatred and suspicion. It is pointless. The people need jobs. They need a better income. Continuing to harbor hatred, envy, and suspicion will not lead to people finding jobs. No. Our people need decent, respectable jobs. Therefore, we must continue to enhance all sectors. Tourism, it creates the most jobs. However, if we continue to fight, no tourists will want to go to Indonesia. Our hotels will be empty.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The competition among nations is exceedingly fierce. If riots were to occur here, many other countries would be pleased. The key to prosperity lies in national unity. That is what Bung Karno taught us, and I continue to uphold this belief. The formula for Indonesia’s resurgence is unity. Hence, the unity of Indonesia is enshrined in Pancasila. Healthy competition is beneficial.  Criticism is constructive. Correction is essential. Leaders who refuse correction will inevitably be mired in blunders.

At night, I often listen to podcasts. Sometimes I get annoyed, but I take note of it. If we are attacked—let me share this knowledge with you, young people who want to be presidents. I give you my wisdom. Do not be afraid of being slandered. I had a teacher when I was young. I was slandered 2-3 times. I felt down and complained to my teacher. Do not be discouraged. If you are slandered, it means you are taken into account. You are slandered because you are feared. What, afraid of me? If you are slandered, it means you are being warned to be cautious. So, raise your hand if you want to be president. Don’t worry. Good, but be a good president. Do not be afraid of being corrected. So, I listened to a podcast at night. Is it true, though? Am I really authoritarian? I don’t believe so. This is good. Correction is valuable, but in the end, we must focus on our work. My guiding philosophy: in serving the nation and the state, never harbor resentment. Such feelings are common but must not persist.

Thus, we need to find a solution to overcome this drug issue. Therefore, this challenge demands collaboration and teamwork. Everything involves cooperation and teamwork.

I would like to congratulate both to the Police and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN). At the same time, I encourage the development of stronger cooperation with other institutions, including the Customs Office, the Attorney’s Office, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), intelligence entities, and regional governments. Tackling smuggling and online gambling is challenging as these activities exploit technology. Once we solve the problem, it appears again. It goes on and on. We must not give up. Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs must be active and learn from other countries. We should not follow the lead of countries that are too liberal. We should learn to put the interests of Indonesia and our people first.

That concludes my statement, alhamdulillah. The pointers only have five paragraphs. Education is fundamental to our nation’s revival. Therefore, we are fully committed to advancing our education system. We will dedicate every resource – all our cost efficiency results, all our results from seizing the wealth of corrupters and everything. We will invest them in our children’s education. We will renovate schools and build new ones. Now, the People’s School [program] is for those with the lowest income. We will also build ones for the middle class. We will also enhance our universities to be the best.

Thank you for your attention, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Congratulations to the National Police Chief. Please extend my gratitude to every member of the police, wherever they may be. Do not hesitate. Do not lose heart. A servant of the nation, a Bhayangkara, often does good deeds without recognition. Yet, even a single mistake will never be forgotten. This is the nature of humanity. We must remain resilient and magnanimous. We have chosen to serve the state and the nation as the servants of the state, the servants of the nation, as members of the state police force. Such is the burden borne by a warrior, a knight. You must be prepared to be cursed, reviled, criticized, and slandered, but you must persist in doing good for the nation and country.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

May peace be upon us all,

Shalom,

Salve,

Om santi santi santi om,

Namo Buddhaya,

Greetings of virtue.

That is all. Thank you.

Merdeka!

(DH/EP)