Dialogue between President of the Republic of Indonesia and Representatives of Islamic Boarding Schools Management and the Santris (via Video Conference) after Inspection of COVID-19 Vaccination Drive at Miftahul Falah Islamic Boarding School, Kuningan Regency, 31 August 2021, West Java Province

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Alhamdulillahirabbil ‘alamin, washalatu wasalamu ‘ala asrafil ambiya’i wal mursalin, sayyidina wa habibina wa syafiina wa maulana Muhammadin, wa ‘ala alihi washahbihi ajma’in. Amma ba’du (opening of speech in Islamic fashion).

Honorable Kiai (Islamic teachers), the Elders of Islamic boarding schools, beloved santri (Islamic students), Chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Minister of State Secretary, Governor of West Java, and Regent of Kuningan.

I want to ask three or four (representatives) of today’s vaccination drive for santri. This program is specifically for santri of Islamic Boarding Schools. The first one will be from Husnul Khotimah Islamic Boarding School in Kuningan, please. How many santri get vaccinated today?

A representative from Husnul Khotimah Islamic Boarding School, Kuningan regency, West Java province

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Welcome Mr. President to Kuningan regency.

On behalf of the big family of Husnul Khotimah Islamic Boarding School, I, Muatam Madrosim, would like to express utmost gratitude to Mr. President for your extraordinary attention for Islamic boarding schools by carrying out a vaccination drive for santri, including at the Husnul Khotimah Islamic Boarding School. Thank God, we were given the opportunity to receive 2,000 vaccine packages for students, sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

2,000, Pak Kiai? That’s a lot.

A representative from Husnul Khotimah Islamic Boarding School, Kuningan regency, West Java province

2,000, because we have 4,300 santri.

Presiden Republik Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Oh, there is a lot of santri. Alhamdulillah (Thank God).

How about this, Pak Kiai.  Is there anyone who is still afraid or hesitant to get vaccinated?

A representative from Husnul Khotimah Islamic Boarding School, Kuningan regency, West Java province

Alhamdulillah, everyone is ready to receive the jabs, Mr. President.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Alhamdulillah, very well.

Given the national vaccine supply is still not sufficient, we can only do this in stages. We hope that God willing, at the end of the year, in December, all of us will have received the jabs, including those in Husnul Khotimah Islamic Boarding School in Kuningan. Pak Kiai, thank you.

A representative from Husnul Khotimah Islamic Boarding School, Kuningan regency, West Java province

You’re welcome, Mr. President.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency, Central Java province, your turn now.

A representative from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency, Central Java province

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Distinguished Mr. President, I am Faturohim from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Blater hamlet, Jimbaran village, Bandungan district, Semarang Regency.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Oh, from Bandungan.

A representative from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency, Central Java province

Bandungan, sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

I see.

A representative from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency, Central Java province

Our santri would like to greet you, sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

All right, please.

(The santri greet the President with yells)

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Thank you.

A representative from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency, Central Java province

Distinguished Mr. President, I am from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, I would like to extend gratitude for the vaccination drive carried out at our Islamic boarding school.

Today, we received 1,500 doses of vaccine. We hope that after the vaccination, we will be able to carry out the teaching and learning process properly. Subsequently, sir, we will make the vaccination a requirement for students to take exams at all levels, be it Ula (first level), Wustha (mid-level), Ulya (final level), or Tahfidzul Quran (Quran memorizing) and also a requirement for new students to enter the boarding school.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Very well, Pak Kiai, very well.

A representative from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency, Central Java province

In addition, Mr. President, this santri, the representative of santri would like to greet you, please.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

All right, please.

A santri from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency, Central Java province

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Wa’alaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

A santri from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency, Central Java province

Good morning, Mr. President. My name is Muhammad Alvin Materazzi from Kuningan, West Java. I am studying at Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency. Would you mind if I ask you, sir? When will all Indonesian people, especially santri and students, receive the jabs, sir, so that we can all carry out the learning process just as in the past, pre-COVID-19. I also hope for your help, because I really want to continue my education in the boarding school as well as further education. So, I can achieve my dream and my goal is to make my parents proud.

I pray that you will always be given health and strength in building this country. Stay healthy, sir.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Wa’alaikumsalam.

Alvin, let me tell you. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic, including the next wave of the Delta variant, is happening not only in our country, Indonesia, but 221 countries in the world are all affected by the COVID-19 wave. Countries are striving to secure vaccine supply. Only a number of countries produce vaccine, not all countries produce vaccine. Even if we have money, even if we have the budget, it’s not necessarily possible for us to secure the vaccine.

Thank God, to date, we have managed to secure 160 million doses of vaccine. But it is still far from sufficient because we need approximately 428 million. There has been a commitment from the vaccine industry and factories, but once again countries are trying to secure for themselves first.

A santri from Al Mas’udiyyah Islamic Boarding School, Semarang regency, Central Java province

Thank you, sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Thank you, Pak Kiai. Let us move to Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School in Binjai city, North Sumatra province. Please.

A representative from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Wa’alaikumsalam.

A representative from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Distinguished Mr. President, may our meeting be blessed by Allah, the Most Glorified, the Most High. Earlier, it seems that other boarding schools can have the opportunity to greet you. Our santri would also like to greet you, would you mind, sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Please, Pak Kiai.

(The santri greet the President with yells)

 President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

I am very happy to see this kind of enthusiasm. Everyone looks healthy, everyone looks enthusiastic.

Thank you.

A representative from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Mr. President, may Allah, the Most Glorified, the Most High, give you honor. Thank God, we are in the boarding school, seeing the vaccination drive especially in Binjai city, it is extraordinary. We are given 500 doses of vaccine, but 3,000 people came today. So, is it possible for the boarding school…

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Is it sufficient?

A representative from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Yes, so in the end, thank God, Chief of the North Sumatra Intelligence Agency (BIN) as well as the Mayor asked to get the jabs here, I immediately accepted with pleasure. Therefore, Mr. President, may Allah give you honor, as many as 2,500 people from our boarding school and the surrounding boarding schools in Binjai city will receive the jabs. In addition, there are 2,500 doses at the same time for high school and junior high school students. So, a total of 5,000 doses of vaccine, sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Oh, that is a lot.

A representative from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

However, sir, if you do not mind, our students want to greet you. We are far away from you, maybe we may not be able to meet you many times. Sir, please let us, for our student to greet you, would you mind, sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Please, Pak Kiai.

A santri from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Assalamu’alaikum, Mr. President.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Wa’alaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

A santri from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

My name is Luhut from Tapanuli. Although I’m also from Tapanuli, I’m Luhut, the santri. Not the Minister (jokingly). Thank you, Mr. President, my friends and I, alhamdulillah, have got vaccinated.

Mr. President, I have a secret, but it is just for the two of us. God willing, in the next 25 years, I want to be a minister, sir, just like Mr. Luhut. Would you give me your support, sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

I would.

A santri from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Would you support me, sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

I would support you.

A santri from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Thank you, sir.

A representative from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Thank you, Luhut.

Sir, once again, sir, we are the leaders of the boarding school, it is impossible for us to be unjust to our students. Our santriwati (female student) also wants to greet you, would you mind us, sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

All right, please.

A santriwati from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Assalamu’alaikum, Mr. President.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Wa’alaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

A santriwati from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

My name is Siti Hajar, sir, not Siti Nur Aisyah. That is my mother’s name. (jokingly)

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

All right.

A santriwati from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Thank you, sir, we are very happy with this vaccination drive. Would you mind If I ask you a question, sir?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

No. (jokingly)

A santriwati from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

When can you visit our boarding school? We miss you, sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

All right, When I visit North Sumatra, God willing, I will go to… this is Binjai, right?

A representative from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Yes sir, it is not far from your son-in-law’s residence.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

All right, insyaallah, God willing, please remind me when I visit North Sumatra.

A santriwati from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Sir, I have a pantun (four-line rhyming poem) for you.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Please.

A santriwati from Sabilul Mukminin Islamic Boarding School, Binjai city, North Sumatra province

Sungguh baik Pak Petani

Pergi ke sawah menyemai benih

Terima kasih Pak Jokowi

Saya udah divaksin nih.

(The first two lines are an introduction. The punch of the poem is to say “Thank you Pak Jokowi, I have received the jabs”)

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you, Pak Kiai. I would like to greet East Java province, Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School, Sidoarjo regency, please.

(The santri greet the President with yells)

A representative from Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School, Sidoarjo regency, East Java province

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Wa’alaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

A representative from Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School, Sidoarjo regency, East Java province

Distinguished President of the Republic of Indonesia Ir. H. Joko Widodo. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Abdullah Ahmad, the caretaker at Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School, Tanggulangin district, Sidoarjo regency, East Java province.

Thank God, all santri and I have received the jabs. Thank you, thank you so much to Mr. President.

Our hope, sir, the educators of the Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School, after this vaccination drive, all ranks of the educators, including myself, can transfer our knowledge, can be a role model, and can also do face-to-face learning process.

Distinguished Mr. President, we pray that you will always be blessed with good health and success, especially in dealing with COVID-19. And hopefully, COVID-19 will end soon.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

Amen.

A representative from Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School, Sidoarjo regency, East Java province

Would you mind Mr. President if our santriwan (male santri) and santriwati want to greet you. Come on, what do you want to say to Mr. President while he is still here.

A santri from Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School, Sidoarjo regency, East Java province

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Let me introduce myself, sir. My name is Rafi Akbar Maulana Haqiqi, or Rafi, not Rafi Ahmad the celebrity, sir (jokingly).

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

All right.

A santri from Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School, Sidoarjo regency, East Java province

I am a son of a farmer who was affected by the Lapindo mud, sir. My house and farm were drowned by the Lapindo mud. I’ve been staying at Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School since I was little, sir.

Thank God, I have just received the jabs, sir. Thank you very much Mr. President for the vaccination drive at Al-Muayyad Islamic Boarding School. I hope the COVID-19 can be overcome soon. I pray that may Allah, the Most Glorified, the Most High, give you good health and success in leading the Indonesian nation, especially in tackling COVID-19.

I hope that after this vaccination, I can recite the Quran and meet Pak Kiai and Ibu Nyai at the Islamic boarding school, Sir. I really miss them, I really want to recite the Quran face to face with them, sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko “Jokowi” Widodo)

I want to greet all of you. I would like to thank all provinces, among others, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Banten province, East Kalimantan province, West Sumatra province, Riau province, South Sulawesi province, West Java province, Central Java province, North Sumatra province, and East Java province. And hopefully, we can meet face to face another time.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. (FAI/MUR)