Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Reception of the 100th Anniversary of Darussalam Gontor Modern Islamic Boarding School in Ponorogo Regency, East Java Province, September 19, 2026
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Alhamdulillahirabbil ‘alamin, washolatu wassalamu ‘ala asyrofil anbiya’i wal mursalin, wa’ala alihi washohbihi ajma’in. Amma ba’du.
As people of faith, let us never cease to offer our gratitude to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Only to Him do we pray, and only to Him do we seek help. We are grateful for all the good, blessings, and grace He has bestowed upon us as a nation and as a people. We are grateful for the peace and serenity we enjoy today. We are grateful for the good health He has blessed us with, allowing us to gather in this noble place, at this very special event, the Reception of the 100th Anniversary of Darussalam Gontor Modern Islamic Boarding School in Ponorogo, East Java.
We certainly pray that our fellow citizens across the country who have been struck by disasters are given the strength, patience, and resilience to face their difficulties. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala ease their suffering and protect them in the coming days.
Earlier, the Leader of Darussalam Gontor Islamic Boarding School, Kiai Haji Hasan Abdullah Sahal, delivered his remarks, which were very modern and efficient. He only named one person and greeted others with Ladies and Gentlemen. That is highly efficient and modern. Frankly, I hope all institutions and events proceed in that manner, Pak Kiai Haji Hasan Abdullah Sahal. The problem is that naming the distinguished guests one by one takes up quite a lot of time. However, let me ask the committee now. How much time was allocated for me? Because I must be punctual. In a place where discipline is maintained, the guest cannot lack discipline.
The Leader of Darussalam Gontor Islamic Boarding School, Kiai Haji Hasan Abdullah Sahal, is the commander here. I am a guest, so I have to greet people one by one. Is that alright? Because I am the President of the Republic of Indonesia. President of the Republic of Indonesia is a position. It is a state position and also a political position. A political leader cannot afford to offend anyone, so it would be risky not to name certain public figures.
Distinguished Leaders of Darussalam Gontor Islamic Boarding School, Kiai Haji Hasan Abdullah Sahal and Kiai Haji Muhammad Akrim Mariyat and all executive board members of Darussalam Gontor Islamic Boarding School in attendance,
Rector of Darussalam Gontor University Professor Kiai Haji Hamid Fahmy Zarkasyi,
Chairperson of Gontor Waqf Agency and Vice Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly Kiai Haji Hidayat Nur Wahid,
Member of Gontor Waqf Agency Kiai Haji Din Syamsudin—where is Pak Din? Oh, there you are, Pak Din. Pak Din, Pak Din was my friend when we were young. Pak Din would complain, “Don’t say when we were young, Pak. We are still young.” Our soul remains youthful.
Governor of Bank Indonesia Destry Damayanti,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono,
Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi,
Minister of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Nasaruddin Umar,
Minister of Hajj and Umrah Kiai Haji Mochamad Irfan Yusuf,
Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Professor Brian Yuliarto,
Chief of the National Police Listyo Sigit Prabowo—only in Indonesia does the Police Chief wear a kopiah,
Cabinet Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Infantry Teddy Indra Wijaya.
Distinguished Vice Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono,
Distinguished Vice Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar Egypt Professor Muhammad Abdurrahman Muhammad al-Dluwaini,
Ambassadors of Friendly Countries: Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye, Ambassador of Egypt, Ambassador of Qatar, Ambassador of Kuwait, Ambassador of Sudan, Ambassador of Syria, Ambassador of Yemen, Ambassador of Palestine—Free Palestine! Free Palestine! Free Palestine!
Distinguished Vice Ambassador of Jordan,
Distinguished Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa,
Distinguished Vice Governor of East Java Emil Dardak,
Distinguished Kiais, Islamic Scholars, and Management of Darussalam Gontor Modern Islamic Boarding School, University Leaders, and Salaf Islamic boarding school leaders in attendance,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished Members of the Press,
I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for giving me such a great honor by inviting me to deliver opening remarks at the 100th anniversary event, at the Commemoration and Reception of the 100th Anniversary of Darussalam Gontor Islamic Boarding School in Ponorogo, East Java. One hundred years ago, the founders of Gontor, Kiai Haji Ahmad Sahal, Kiai Haji Zainudin Fananie, and Kiai Haji Imam Zarkasyi made a grand vision. They probably never imagined that they would come so far in realizing their vision, with the fruits of their hard work spread everywhere. Today, we see the fruits spread across Indonesia and across the globe. Thank you for giving me this honor.
I apologize. I remember our brothers and sisters in Palestine. They are decimated, bombed, and continuously attacked, and it is as if we had no power to help them. I suppose this encourages us all—especially you, the kiais, Islamic scholars, and educators in institutions such as Gontor—to spark a willingness. A willingness to truly learn. A willingness to build a strong Indonesia because if a nation is not strong, other nations will trample on it.
We must learn from history, as mentioned before. Yes, we want to create history, but we must learn from it and stay true to ourselves. We must be true not to others, but to ourselves. We must have the courage to notice our weaknesses. It is easy to speak greatly, but it is difficult to notice our own flaws, our own weaknesses. I hope future generations of ustadz and Islamic scholars can find the courage to learn from our own weaknesses, our own flaws.
We were colonized by other nations. That is the bitter truth. Yes, our fathers, grandparents, grandfathers, and predecessors fought against them. However, we were under the control of other nations for quite a long time. This is harsh, but we must have the courage to admit it, and we must learn from it, and we must be strong-willed not to let anyone colonize us anymore. We must be strong because, with strength—if we are strong, we can help our brothers and sisters oppressed by other nations. If we have no power, how can we help them?
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I thank you for inviting me today. Gontor is an incredible institution that has achieved success. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to get on this stage. I am trying not to take too long to give my remarks, but this is a valuable opportunity because I rarely come here. However, if I am invited, I will certainly come. Perhaps I will be invited to attend a rather smaller event, an event without journalists. Where are the journalists? Are there any journalists here? Members of the press, you are clever in disguising yourselves. This person seamlessly blends into the middle of the audience, making them inconspicuous. I am being serious here. This is a request and an offer—my request to be invited to a private event. I have to watch my words here. Perhaps even what I am wearing has made a fuss. Free Palestine! I don’t care whether it made a fuss or not. Free Palestine! This makes me feel young. Careful, there are journalists here.
I suppose that is the whole point of my remarks. Should I conclude it? Please display the motto of Gontor, and what was it? Yes, the previous one. The panca one. Yes, can you display it? Display it again, please. Panca Jiwa (Five Principles for the Soul): Sincerity, Simplicity, Independence, Ukhuwah Islamiyah (Islamic unity), Freedom. Yes, it is the same as our struggle. I always want to be sincere, I always want simplicity, and I want our nation to stand on its own two feet. Ukhuwah Islamiyah is what we must also realize. I am concerned. I suppose this is a reminder for us all. Freedom, freedom of thought. However, we must also have the courage to think right, as I said previously. We must have the courage to notice our flaws. We must take care of the body that the Almighty gave us. We must take care of it. Taking care of it means nurturing it. The motto is extraordinary. In my opinion, this motto must apply everywhere.
These are the same values upheld at our military academy. We must have good manners. We must be honest and sincere, and we must not become corrupt. We must not pretend to be well-mannered, sincere, and honest, then steal when we are given a mandate and a position.
Have a healthy body. We cannot do good if we often fall ill. We cannot work hard if our body is weak. Therefore, the children of Indonesia and the people of Indonesia… I have not finished my sentence, but the students of Gontor are incredible. They already know what I want to say before I say it. We are in Ponorogo, aren’t we? People in Ponorogo are highly knowledgeable. They already know what I mean before I say it.
Therefore, no children in Indonesia should be malnourished. They must not go to school while hungry. I received a mandate from the people of Indonesia for this reason. I do not want hunger to exist in Indonesia. A fertile Indonesia that has abundant resources. No one should go hungry on our land. Therefore, I am striving to eradicate poverty from Indonesia, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Have broad knowledge. That’s right. Indonesia’s leaders must be smart. They must not be fooled by others. I sometimes wonder why professors cannot notice injustice. These professors defend foreign interests instead. Have an open mind. Do not let yourselves be brainwashed by those who have ill intentions against us. Have a big heart. Do not have low self-esteem. Do not feel defeated before you fight. If you are always afraid, then how can we… alright. There are journalists here. I won’t continue it.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for inviting me here. I now stand before the people of Indonesia. I now have more confidence. Why am I confident? Because I have been carrying out the mandates from the people for less than two years. It will be two years in several weeks, or perhaps in one month. I, along with the coalition that backed me, which I know consists of many Gontor alumni. Thank you for your support. I know, Gontor must not be involved in active politics, that is true. Gontor must not participate in practical politics but must understand politics. Gontor must be above all political groups. Gontor may not go anywhere, but Gontor must be everywhere. After more than a decade, I found out that Din Syamsudin graduated from Gontor. He is always humble. He is not insecure. He is humble. Sometimes, he is a bit stern, but when he meets me, he’s different.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Gontor is on the right path. I would say that I am now confident because, for the past two years, the Government I lead has been assisted by great people, great ministers, great generals, great governors. We have proven to the people of Indonesia that we have achieved real success, which benefits the nation and the people of Indonesia. I am confident because we have delivered results. We are not leaders who only talk the talk.
As evidence, books made by my team have been distributed. Even I was surprised. I did not know that they wrote the book, honestly. They just gave me the book. I read it. We have made so many achievements. I myself do not understand how much we have done for the people of Indonesia because we focus on the work. We work fast because people who are hungry cannot wait. Farmers who need fertilizers cannot wait. Fishers who need help had never received any for the past 81 years since Indonesia’s independence. Three-quarters of our homeland is the sea. Tens of thousands of foreign vessels sail on Indonesian seas every night. Our abundant marine resources were stolen without us taking action. Now, we work. Starting next year, we will build thousands of fishing vessels for our fishers.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The book has made it clear. I will not explicate all my achievements on this stage. Ladies and Gentlemen, I suppose we can already feel that we have achieved food self-sufficiency, which I have strived for years. No country is successful, no country is independent if it cannot feed its own people. Alhamdulillah, Indonesia has achieved food self-sufficiency. Indonesia is capable of producing food for her own people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The current world that is full of conflict and even war—war everywhere—has proven that food and energy self-sufficiency, which I have talked about for so long, is a must. We cannot rely on other nations. We cannot put our hope in them or ask them for pity. No nation will pity us. if we cannot manage, maintain, and strengthen ourselves, no one will help us. Trust me. Alhamdulillah, we have achieved food self-sufficiency. We have sufficient food reserves. We have made anticipatory measures against bad weather, El Niño, and droughts. We are ready.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As of July 1, we have stopped diesel imports. We have achieved diesel fuel self-sufficiency. These days, diesel fuel is in global short supply. Even if we have money, the fuel may not be available. Alhamdulillah, we can produce our own diesel fuel, Ladies and Gentlemen. What is the source? Oil palm, the plant with which the Almighty has blessed us. I would say that oil palm is the miracle plant, the miracle crop. We can produce 57 derivatives from oil palm. We can produce medicines, soap, and many others, especially fuel. Our smart professors, who are truly smart, not the ones I mentioned earlier, from our engineering faculties, have managed to produce diesel fuel from oil palm and produce fuel from oil palm. We will also create fuel from coal.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We must offer our gratitude to the Almighty for giving us such immense power. The question is, do we have reliable, capable, highly knowledgeable, and sincere leaders? Can we maintain and manage all the resources with which the Almighty has blessed us, Ladies and Gentlemen?
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have too much to say, but the organizers have glared at me, and it’s already 12.00. I suppose I should make it quick. We have achieved a lot. It is all written in the book before you, Ladies and Gentlemen. Please study it. I believe Indonesia has a good and bright future.
And my dear students, you will take the lead. You will continue our fight. Do not trust what those foreign agents say. Do not trust them. They have money, and they can pay buzzers. They can spread narratives on social media. They want to extinguish our spirit. They want to take away our courage. They want us to be weak. They want us to remain poor. They want us to remain servants for good. We refuse to be the servants of other nations. We will become a great nation. We will stand on our own two feet.
Thank you, Gontor. Congratulations. Heed the call of history. Continue on your fight. Do your best for the nation and the Islamic community.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
(DH/MMB)