President Jokowi Leads 2024 Pancasila Day Ceremony in Riau Province
President Jokowi leads 2024 Pancasila Day ceremony on Saturday (06/01) at Garuda Square in Pertamina Hulu Rokan Complex, Dumai city, Riau province. (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Kris)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Saturday (06/01) led the 2024 Pancasila Day ceremony at Garuda Square in Pertamina Hulu Rokan Complex, Dumai city, Riau province, adopting the theme “Pancasila is the Spirit of Unifying the Nation Towards a Golden Indonesia 2045.”
During the ceremony, Brigadier General Refrizal, Chief of Staff of Bukit Barisan Regional Military Command, acted as the ceremonial officer, and Chief Commissioner Andri Ananta Yudhistira, General Crimes Investigation Director of Jambi Regional Police, acted as the ceremonial commander.
The ceremony began with a salute to President Jokowi, the ceremonial inspector, who then led the participants to observe a moment of silence. The ceremony was followed by a series of events, namely a marching band from Cendana Hulu Rokan and a colossal dance under the theme “Pancasila Village,” symbolizing Riau customs.
In his remarks during the ceremony, the President stressed that Indonesians must stay optimistic and motivated to achieve economic independence, which is imperative to the country.
“We must always be optimistic because we have Pancasila that guides our nation, because we have strong social and cultural capital, because we have abundant human resources and natural resources. For those reasons, we must continue to strengthen our national independence and have economic independence,” he said, adding that Indonesia’s consistent foreign policy that upholds free and active principles reinforces its stance in the international world through various global fora and organizations.
“Indonesia’s roles in international politics have increasingly become more important. We were a successful G20 leader, we were a successful ASEAN Chair, and we will continue to contribute to the world, including through the World Water Forum that we have just organized,” he said.
According to President Jokowi, Indonesia will continue to actively participate in promoting peace, justice, and independence of nations, and strengthen the domestic economy and independence in various sectors.
“We will keep striving for economic independence, including through domestic industrialization and downstreaming of various sectors. We must guarantee that the country’s wealth is fully meant for the wellbeing of the people. We must also take action to repossess national strategic assets. We must manage them and make the most of them for the wellbeing of the people,” he said.
The President also stated that the square where the ceremony took place is a symbol of Dumai people’s wellbeing, while pointing out that one of Indonesia’s great achievements is the foreign divestment from major mining company Freeport, which had been managed by a foreign company for 97 years.
“We hope that Pancasila’s justice can liberate us from our dependence on foreign parties. This morning, I received a report from the President Director of Pertamina that the production of Rokan block has reached 162,000 barrels per day. This is higher than [the amount of production] under Caltex of Chevron’s management and it makes up 25 percent of the national production. The Rokan block has the highest production. Freeport and the Rokan block are some examples of our spirit and efforts for political sovereignty and economic independence to manifest Pancasila values in real life experience, to build an economy that supports national interests, and to stand on our own strength,” he said.
Furthermore, the President said that Indonesia has a huge potential to develop a green economy, considering its abundant natural resources, various energy sources, and strong foundation for actively participating in the global movement toward a green economy.
“We almost have all kinds of green energy sources, including geothermal power, solar power, hydropower, wind power, and wave power. We also have plantation yields that can be processed into biodiesel, bioethanol, and bioavtur (sustainable aviation fuel/SAF). These green energy sources will attract green industries, attract green economic financing, produce green food, and create opportunities for green jobs that lead to [people’s] wellbeing and sustainability,” he said.
The President also underscored that the transition to green energy must be a priority to ensure sustainable development and enhance people’s wellbeing, adding that in implementing Pancasila’s values, it is imperative to pay attention to demographic changes and adapt message delivery with the characteristics of younger generations. (KSK/ABD) (DH/MUR)
