Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Opening of the Alumni Corps of the Islamic Students Association (KAHMI) National Coordination Meeting III, Friday, 15 January 2021, from the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java Province

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Honorable Coordinating Ministers, Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet;

Honorable Governors, Vice Governors;

Honorable Chair of the KAHMI National Assembly Advisory Board;

Honorable ranks of the Ethics Council and the Expert Council of the KAHMI National Assembly;

Honorable KAHMI National Assembly Presidium Coordinator Viva Yoga Mauladi and the presidium members;

Honorable Provincial and Regional Assembly of KAHMI spread accross Indonesia;

Esteemed guests.

First of all, I’d like to express my admiration to KAHMI for its cadres are everywhere. Many of them are successful entrepreneurs. Some work in the bureaucracy. Many of them are in political parties. Many of them also work in state institutions. They are entrusted to fill many strategic tasks including in the ranks of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet. There are Mahfud MD, Muhadjir Effendy, Zainudin Amali, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Sofyan Djalil, Suharso Monoarfa, Bahlil Lahadalia, and many others, whom I may not remember one by one.

The profound trust that KAHMI gained is followed by great hopes for KAHMI, namely the hope to contribute greatly in the fight against the pandemic, to develop innovations for the advancement of Indonesia, and to stand at the forefront in the struggle for moderate Islam, as well as to instill the values of Pancasila ideology.

Honorable guests,

In the past ten months, the Government has made every effort to curb the COVID-19 pandemic with extraordinary steps, such as by supporting the health sector, providing social protection for the vulnerable and underprivileged community groups, and providing assistance for MSMEs and the businesses so that they manage to survive, there are no layoffs, and they can revive.

Of course, we don’t just want to simply get through the pandemic, but to take part in making leaps of progress amid the crisis. We have improved the national economic ecosystem through the Job Creation Law, bureaucratic reforms, and legal certainty, and strengthen development financing, among others by establishing the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA). This is a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) that all countries have and we just started to establish this. And, various other innovations.

With these various efforts and the support of all components of the nation, we hope that we can create as many job opportunities as possible, business development can flourish, we can take our MSMEs to the next level, and poverty can be alleviated as well as we can increase equitable development

I know that KAHMI cadres spread across many professions, such as in the bureaucracy, political parties, state institutions, corporations,  non-governmental organizations, and the media as well as successful entrepreneurs. As one of the nation’s strategic strengths, I expect big roles the KAHMI can play in various fields. I’d like to express gratitude for the role of KAHMI in strengthening the pillars of nationality by positioning Islam and Indonesianism to complement and strengthen each other, to strengthen the unity of Indonesia’s pluralism, to supports Indonesia’s innovation and progress in the future.

The role of KAHMI in modernization and moderation in religious life has been recorded in history. In the 1960s, KAHMI played a central role in reforming the nation’s and religious life which became the anchor for the advancement of the rahmatan lil’alamin, merciful-to-all-creations Islamic preaching. This central role must continue to be prioritized in KAHMI’s future progress.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I also hope that KAHMI will contribute greatly in developing breakthroughs in various fields, especially in human resource development, innovation development, science and technology, and entrepreneurship development, especially among the youths.

I warmly welcome KAHMI’s initiative to establish a university, Universitas Insan Cita Indonesia (UICI) whose license has just been issued. This educational institution is digital based with innovative study programs, such as the data science (and) digital business study programs. This will enrich our higher education innovation. Many similar innovations must be done so that we are able to win a global competition that is getting tighter and fiercer.

Finally, I affirm that through Islamic support for Indonesianism, religious modernization and moderation, as well as through hard work towards mastering science and technology as well as innovation, I believe, God willing, the vision of Advanced Indonesia can be achieved faster. I believe it will.

This concludes my remarks on this auspicious opportunity. And by saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, asking for the grace of Allah, the God almighty, today, I declare the 2021 KAHMI National Coordination Meeting III open.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.