Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia During the Opening Ceremony of the National Gathering of Village Islamic Preachers of Parmusi Cianjur Regency, West Java Province, September 26, 2023

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Bismillahi, alhamdulillahi, Asyhadu alla ilaaha Illallah wahdahu laa syarikalah, wa asyhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu warasuluh, alladzi la nabiyah ba’dah ama ba’du.

Distinguished Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Chief of the Indonesian National Police, Governor of West Java, and Regent of Cianjur,

Distinguished Romo Kiai Haji Abah Roudh Bahar Bakry and all Ulemas and Preachers of the Central and Regional Sharia Board,

Distinguished Chairperson of the Indonesian Muslim Brotherhood (Parmusi) Bapak Kiai Haji Drs. Usamah Hisyam and all Board Members of Parmusi,

Distinguished Islamic Preachers of Parmusi’s Madani Villages,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Yesterday, the Parmusi chairperson visited the palace and invited me to attend the National Gathering of Madani Village organized by Parmusi.

I asked him: “Mr Chairperson, is the venue far?” to which he replied: “No, Sir. It is not far. It only takes an hour to reach it.”

It turned out that the journey took 2.5 hours. For Parmusi, 2.5 hours is not a problem for me.

Let me extend my appreciation to Parmusi for the National Gathering of Village Islamic Preachers. This event drew thousands of preachers who have made concrete contribution to villages.

Let me also applaud the Madani Village program. In the past, we had a program called “ABRI (Indonesian Armed Forces) in villages” and now we have Islamic preachers in villages to support the development in villages.

Village development is crucial, in line with the Government’s program of conducting development from the frontiers.

Some people asked me: “Do you only build toll roads, airports, and ports?”

For the record, the Government has disbursed Village Funds. As of this year, we have disbursed Rp539 trillion for 74,800 villages across the nation from 2015 to 2023.

Regarding toll roads, in the last nine years we have completed 2,040 kilometers of it, while for village roads, in the last nine years we have completed 326,000 kilometers. It equals to five kilometers per village because we have 74,800 villages.

In terms of water reservoirs, we have built 6,400 water reservoirs in villages. Those of you living in villages, including Islamic preachers, may check the numbers of village roads, village water reservoirs, and village irrigation projects. Once you find discrepancy, it means that there is a lot of corruption going on there. If that is the case, I will assign the BPK (the Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia) and the BPKP the Development Finance Comptroller) to conduct an audit.

Every year, we disburse about Rp1 [billion] to Rp2 billion for every village. We have also built 14,000 village markets. You may check it in villages.

Once again, I reaffirm the Chairperson’s statement regarding Islamic preachers in villages. The infrastructure development that I mentioned – village roads, village bridges, village reservoirs, and village markets – would be meaningless if we neglected the development of human capital, especially those related to characters and morals.

If we did not have this, the money would be meaningless. It would difficult to have control from Jakarta to remote areas across the nation. The preachers play a pivotal role in strengthening human capital development, especially those related to characters, manners, and morals of the people in the villages.

In this political year, the situation has started to escalate. Even though the escalation is normal during presidential elections or general elections, we must take anticipatory measures to prevent disharmony and disunity in our communities.

We must maintain the favorable situation so that development in villages will not be hampered by political agendas. Different choices are normal. You are free to vote for Pak Prabowo, Pak Anies, or Pak Ganjar.

Winning and losing in elections, in presidential elections, and in regional elections are normal.

I have just visited several countries in Africa and I feel sad. Our brothers and sisters there, in almost half of the countries in Africa, are experiencing conflicts and wars so that the governments cannot run well. In Afghanistan, the situation is the same.

We must maintain the unity of our country. We have 714 ethnicities and 1,300 local languages in Indonesia. Once a conflict related to ethnicity occurs, resolving it would be enormously difficult. Staying united is crucial. It is possible that when the political candidates have made reconciliation, supporters in grass roots are still in conflict. We must avoid that because we regularly carry out the democratic fiesta every five year.

Let us continue maintaining our harmony and tolerance as well as strengthening Islamic solidarity, national solidarity, and human solidarity so this nation can become a united nation, a developed nation, and a nation that is baldatun tayyibatun warabbun ghafur (a prosperous nation with God’s blessing).

The Chairperson previously told me about a land issue. If there had been an order, it should have been resolved. It is very difficult to oversee all matters that happened in all regions from Sabang to Merauke.

This country is a huge country. I once flew from Aceh to Papua, taking me 9 hours 15 minutes in a trip. That was the same as a flight from London to Istanbul through seven or eight countries. This is a very big and diverse country. In regions, we have mayors and governors with autonomous authority.

Anyone want a bike? Please come to the stage. To the one that I pick, please come to the stage and introduce yourself.

Village Islamic Preacher Khairul Amri Manurung
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Wa’alaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

Village Islamic Preacher Khairul Amri Manurung
I am Khairul Amri Manurung, Village Islamic Preacher of Parmusi in Air Joman village, Asahan regency, North Sumatra province.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Ustad Khairul.

Village Islamic Preacher Khairul Amri Manurung
Right, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Ustad Khairul. Please mention one country in Africa

Village Islamic Preacher Khairul Amri Manurung
A country in Africa.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Yes, a country in Africa.

Village Islamic Preacher
A country in Africa, Mr President.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Yes.

Village Islamic Preacher Khairul Amri Manurung

African country, Mr President.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
A country in Africa. There are many countries in Africa. Just name one.

Village Islamic Preacher Khairul Amri Manurung
South Africa.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Right, South Africa. The answer is correct. It seems that you are nervous. I didn’t bring a bike but tomorrow, God willing, the bike will be delivered.

Village Islamic Preacher Khairul Amri Manurung
Mr President, may I take a photo with you?

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
All right. You get a bike and a photo.

Write down your name and tomorrow the bike will be delivered.

Another one. A female participant. Please introduce yourself.

Village Islamic Preacher Sinta Sobariyah
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Wa’alaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Village Islamic Preacher Sinta Sobariyah
I’m Sinta Sobariyah from West Java, Garut.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Garut.

What is your name again?

Village Islamic Preacher Sinta Sobariyah
Sinta Sobariyah.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Mbak Sinta, the question is …

Let me think about the question. The question is: what is the name of our new capital city? What is the name of the new capital city of Indonesia?

Village Islamic Preacher Sinta Sobariyah
The capital city of Garut?

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
No, not the capital of Garut. The new capital of Indonesia.

Village Islamic Preacher Sinta Sobariyah
Ibu Rosita. Ibu Rosita. Ibu who? Ustadana, ibu ustadana. Usta. Ustadara. Ibutara. Ibu Nusantara? Ibu Nusantara.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
It seems that when the participants come to the stage, they feel nervous.

Village Islamic Preacher Sinta Sobariyah
Ibu Nusantara.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Right. Nusantara Capital City.

Now, another participant. You should answer the question regarding the proverb “Jauh di mata dekat di hati” [Out of sight, close to the heart]”

A participant from Papua. Please introduce yourself.

Village Islamic Preacher Hamka Yelipele
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Wa’alaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Village Islamic Preacher Hamka Yelipele
I am Hamka Yelipele. Hamka Yelipele.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Hamka. Hamka Yelipele.

Village Islamic Preacher Hamka Yelipele
From Papua Pegunungan province.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Which part of Papua Pegunungan do you come from? Wamena or Nduga?

Village Islamic Preacher Hamka Yelipele
Wamena.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Wamena. I have visited Wamena four times.

The question, Ustad, what is the meaning of the proverb “Jauh di mata dekat di hati“?

Village Islamic Preacher Hamka Yelipele
Mr Jokowi. Ir. Joko Widodo.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
No, not that. “Jauh di mata dekat di hati? ”

Village Islamic Preacher Hamka Yelipele
Mr Jokowi. The answer remains the same.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
Yes, according to Ustad it might be true, but that’s not what I mean.

Anyway, I will give you a bike.

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo
That concludes my remarks. By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, this afternoon I officially opened the 2023 National Gathering of Parmusi Village Islamic Preachers.

I thank you.

Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(RI/EP)