Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto’s Second Campus, Banyumas Regency, Central Java Province, January 3, 2024

By Office of Assistant to Deputy Cabinet Secretary for State Documents & Translation Date 3 Januari 2024

Category: Remarks @en

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Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Distinguished Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet,

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture,

Minister for Transportation, and Minister for Public Works and Housing attending this event.

Minister for Public Works and Housing will be in charge of building the campus, but Minister, please check how much the cost is,

Distinguished Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces,

Acting Governor of Central Java province,

Regent of Banyumas regency,

Distinguished Rector of Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto,

Distinguished Chairperson of Muhammadiyah and the big family of Banyumas Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah, all academic community of Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto,

Students,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished Guests,

Alhamdulillah, today we are going to do the groundbreaking for Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto’s second campus. The rector has just said that the university has 17,000 students and 11 faculties. He whispered to me that the study rooms are insufficient. So, it is necessary to have a new building which has, how many floors it has, Rector? Fourteen floors.

This will probably be the tallest building in Purwokerto area. The rector also whispered to me that it costs approximately Rp200 billion. Has it carefully been calculated? If it costs Rp200 billion, let Ministry of Public Works and Housing build it. Do not say Rp200 [billion], but then it turns out to be Rp400 [billion] based on the Minister’s calculation, it will be double fold. If it costs Rp200 [billion], let it be done by the Minister.

I have noticed that the design is excellent. We are hoping that in 2023s, we will get a demographic bonus and in a country’s civilization, it will happen only once. Usually, if a country receives a demographic bonus, it can turn the country to an advanced one or not, it can prompt the country to make a leap to an advanced one or not. Latin American countries, in the 50s, 60s, 70s, became developing countries. However, after 50 years, 60 years passed, they are still developing countries and could not make a leap to be advanced countries. Why? Because they did not use the opportunity of demographic bonus at that time, at their productive ages in those years.

In 2030s, 2035s, we will get a demographic bonus that we hope we can take the benefit from and make a leap to an advanced country. The key lies in human resources development. Therefore, we need to prioritize future talents, future skills, and which talents needed so the opportunity does not just slip away. If it slips away, it would be very difficult to find the same opportunity.

Therefore, I have said many times regarding the importance of the national leadership in 2024, 2029, 2034 because it is the key that determine whether this country is capable of making a leap or not. A national leader knows how to bring this country forward with a suitable way, and the leader must understand and must know it.

So, I have said many times that we must be careful. We all must be careful because this opportunity only comes once in a civilization of a country. We can see the gate; we just have to open it and make our way through it. If we open it and make our way through it rightly, properly, we will achieve an advanced Indonesia that we have been dreaming of. Also, Muhammadiyah University, especially Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto can be part of it, not only in terms of skills, but also talents. Character building also becomes the key to achieve human resources development thoroughly.

So, students, please raise your hand if you can recite the five principles of Pancasila. I will pick one student, yes, please. I see that you are very enthusiastic. Yes. Please introduce yourself.

Student Representative

First of all, assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.