President Jokowi: Differences Must Not Be Eliminated

President Jokowi at the Dharma Santi Nasional to celebrate Nyepi Day at Ahmad Yani Sport Stadium at the Headquarters of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, Saturday (22/4).(Photo by: Public Relations Division/Jay)

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo said it is very important to rejuvenate a new awareness about the meaning of maintaining harmony and true brotherhood in the life of the country and the nation.

As a diverse nation with 714 ethnicities – even data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows there are  around 1,340 ethnicities –  diverse regional languages, religions, ethnicities, cultures, Indonesia, according to President Jokowi, should not let those differences become barriers to be united and to live in harmony.

“Once again, those differences are not barriers for us to live in harmony in our daily life, to respect and help each other, and to together build a strong social solidarity,” the President said in his remarks at the Dharma Santi Nasional of the Nyepi Celebration at Ahmad Yani Sport Stadium of the Headquarters of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, Saturday (22/4).

All those differences, the President firmly said, do not have to be made uniform and do not have to be erased and even eliminated. “However, in fact, all these differences and diversities must be bound by the spirits of brotherhood, solidarity, and unity in our country Indonesia,” the President said.

In managing diversity and differences, the President further said, Indonesia should be grateful to have state ideology Pancasila and the national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).  “Pancasila serves as the ideology of the country and as the life philosophy of the nation that unites us all,” the President said.

President Jokowi added that Indonesia also has Bhinneka Tunggal Ika that serves as a strong national pillar to nurture and maintain Indonesia that is diverse in nature. “This national pillar is aimed at creating a united harmonious and peaceful Indonesia,” the President said.

Therefore, President Jokowi believes that by upholding values of Pancasila and the spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, Indonesia will remain united.

“And by being united, we will progress together and create a common prosperity to usher in a brighter future for the country,” the President said.

The Nyepi Celebration this year adopts the theme “Let’s Make Catur Brata Penyepian (Hindu religious rules) Strengthen the Tolerance for the Diversity of the Nation and the Country for the Integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).”

The event was also attended by the general public, members of the state personnel corps (Korpri), members of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), as well as members of the Indonesian National Police (Polri).

Also attending the event were Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Chief of the Indonesian National Police General Tito Karnavian, Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) General Gatot Nurmantyo, Acting Chairman of the Central Executive Board of the Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia Mayor General TNI Ret. Wisnu Bawa Tenaya, and Chairman of the event’s committee Inspector General Police Ketut Untung Yoga. (FID/JAY/ES) (Naster/YM/EP)