Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia on the Gala Dinner of Red and White Cabinet at Husein Dining Room, Military Academy Compound, Magelang, Central Java Province, Friday, October 25, 2024

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished Vice President,

Distinguished Coordinating Ministers,

Distinguished Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the Red and White Cabinet,

Distinguished Chief of Staff, Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), Chief of the National Police, Governor and Distinguished Cadets,

Good evening,

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

May prosperity be upon us all,
Shalom,
Om Swastiastu,
Namo Buddhaya.

This evening, I would like to express my gratitude to all cadets of the Military Academy and the Police Academy that have carried out a Twilight Parade ceremony with great spirit and discipline. You have made us, your seniors, proud.

I deliberately chose Tidar Valley to invite the leaders of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia for the next five years. I explained to them that Tidar Valley is part of a long struggle. Here, the fight against colonialization lasted for hundreds of years. Here, our heroes fought since Sultan Agung passed through this area to attack Batavia, and Diponegoro fought against the colonizers; the basecamp was among the five mountains: Merapi, Merbabu, Sindoro, Sumbing, and Tidar. I explained that in our folklore, Tidar Hill is considered the nail of Java Island. And I believe almost all cadets and alumni of the three military academies and the police academy have either voluntarily or involuntarily climbed Tidar Hill. Some have even been punished to climb it multiple times.

This is the center of the knights. The knights are those who, since their youth, chose to live a life of sacrifice. You, the cadets, have chosen to be a knight, a profession of service, a profession of devotion. In this room, you can see images of those who have sacrificed their lives and bodies so that we can live in freedom. You are our hope.

I intentionally brought the ministers who will manage our republic for the next five years. I brought them to see the sprouts of national leaders, to witness your spirit, to see your discipline that a soldier is ready to sacrifice their life and body for the nation and the state. The ministers are also ready to give everything to defend the interests of the nation and the people of Indonesia.

I think that’s all. Most importantly, I want to express my deepest gratitude and pride in seeing the performance of the next generation of the TNI and the Police. I believe this country is in safe hands, and we have a bright future with good successors.

My cabinet also consists of several alumni, and I am grateful to have the best alumni in my cabinet. It turns out that there are six top graduates of Adhi Makayasa in my cabinet. Two from the police, I ask them to stand up—both are four-star generals and have reached the peak of their careers as the Chief of the National Police, and both still continue to serve the country and the nation.

Then, from the TNI there are four top graduates. So it is two from the police and four from the TNI. I ask them to stand up. Four Adhi Makayasa graduates: Muhammad Herindra from the class of 1987, Air Marshal Doni Hermawan from the Air Force class of 1988, then Iftitah, a graduate from 1999, and the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono. Four in total.

We also have many top graduates: the best from Secapa, the best from Sesko, and division commanders like Mr. Wiranto, a four-star general; Mr. Dudung, a four-star general; Mr. Agus Subiyanto, a four-star general; Mr. Maruli—where is Mr. Maruli? He is a four-star general and a Southeast Asian judo champion, the only officer who was ever carried by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto. We also have many alumni here, including the Chief of Staff of the Navy Mr. Muhammad Ali, and the Chief of Staff of the Airforce, Mr. Tonny, a Sukhoi pilot.

We are proud of all of you. I saw your performance earlier and I noticed you were getting wet from the rain, so I invited the generals to get wet, too. Because our leadership principle is ‘ing ngarsa sung tulodo‘ (leading by example). If the subordinates are wet, the leaders must be wet as well; if the subordinates are standing under the sun, the leaders must also stand under the sun; if the subordinates are hungry, the leaders must feel hungry too. That is our leadership principle.

I once heard that a one-star general died in the field, then someone asked, “Why did a brigadier general stand on the front line in the operation?” Because our tradition is that the dangers faced by the subordinates must also be faced by their superiors. Leaders must always be in the most dangerous places; leaders must be in the midst of their subordinates.

That concludes my remarks. Thank you. But just saying thank you seems insufficient. Therefore, as president and commander-in-chief, I instruct the Governors of the four academies to grant leave to the cadets who participated in the ceremony today. The leave is for three days, but since they were still enthusiastic despite being wet, I’m adding one more day, not including Saturday and Sunday.

And I promise I will visit the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy, and the Police Academy. If I often visit the Academies, it means there’s a good chance for more leaves. But that doesn’t mean your grades should drop; the more leaves you get, the harder you should study. Agree?

Thank you. Keep your spirit up.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Good evening.

(EST/LW)