President Prabowo Appreciates Struggle of Nation’s Leaders to Realize Ideals of Independence

President Prabowo Subianto delivers the State of the Nation Address at the Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia and the joint session of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia and the House of Regional Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia at Nusantara Building, Jakarta, on Friday (8/15). (Photo: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)

President Prabowo Subianto expressed his profound appreciation and respect to his predecessors, from the first to the seventh President of the Republic of Indonesia, for their endeavors and dedication in building the nation. The Head of State delivered this message in his State of the Nation Address at the Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia and the joint session of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia and the House of Regional Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia at Nusantara Building, Jakarta, on Friday (8/15).

President Prabowo emphasized that the independence declared on August 17, 1945, was the result of a long struggle and extraordinary sacrifices. Following the proclamation, Indonesia continued fighting for five years, through both armed resistance and diplomacy, until its sovereignty was fully recognized in 1949.

“Since that time, my predecessors, from the first President of the Republic of Indonesia to the seventh, have dedicated themselves to building this nation, to materializing a fair and prosperous nation,” said President Prabowo.

In his address, the Head of State outlined the accomplishments of each of Indonesia’s past presidents. He described President Soekarno as the leader who united and defended the Republic of Indonesia while also integrating West Irian. President Soeharto was praised for laying the foundation of industrialization and reducing extreme poverty. President B.J. Habibie was remembered for his mastery in maintaining economic stability during the 1998 crisis and for introducing advanced technology.

Meanwhile, President Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur, was recognized for strengthening harmony among ethnic, religious, and racial groups. President Megawati Soekarnoputri was acknowledged for her role in restoring the post-crisis economy and initiating Indonesia’s first direct presidential election. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was appreciated for successfully resolving the Aceh conflict and steering the nation through the 2008 global financial crisis. President Joko Widodo was credited with leaving a significant legacy through the development of strategic infrastructure, managing the Covid-19 pandemic, and laying the groundwork for the new capital, Nusantara.

“All my predecessors, along with the governments under their leadership, endeavored to realize the ideals of our independence, which is an Indonesia that is free, sovereign, just, and prosperous,” said President Prabowo.

President Prabowo further emphasized that the goal of independence is not merely freedom from colonialism, but also freedom from poverty, hunger, and suffering. He underscored the importance of economic sovereignty and food security as key to realizing this goal.

“We must become a nation that stands tall and self-reliant: a nation with economic sovereignty, capable of achieving food self-sufficiency. Our nation has been blessed by Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala with an abundance of natural resources. Our challenge is to safeguard and manage this wealth wisely, so that the ideals of our independence may be swiftly realized,” he emphasized. (Bureau of Press, Media, and Information of the Presidential Secretariat) (TCUD/TM)