Remarks of President Prabowo Subianto before the Plenary Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia on the Occasion of the Inauguration of the President-Elect and Vice President-Elect of 2024-2029 Term of Office, October 20, 2024
Bismillahirahmanirahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
May peace be upon us all,
Shalom,
Om Swastiastu,
Namo Buddhaya,
Greetings of virtue,
Rahayu, Rahayu.
Distinguished and honorable
President of the Republic of Indonesia of the 2014-2024 term of office Ir. Joko Widodo and Madame Iriana Joko Widodo,
Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia of the 2019-2024 term of office Prof. Dr. KH. Ma’ruf Amin and Madame Hj. Wuri Estu Ma’ruf Amin,
Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia of the 2024-2029 term of office Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Madame Selvi Ananda Putri,
Sixth President of the Republic of Indonesia General (Retd.) Prof. Dr. H. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono;
Sixth Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia General (Retd.) Try Sutrisno,
10th and 12th Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia H. Muhammad Jusuf Kalla,
11th Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia Prof. Dr. Boediono,
Dra. Sinta Nuriyah Abdurrahman Wahid,
Madame Soraya Hamzah Haz,
Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Ahmad Muzani and distinguished Deputy Speakers of the People’s Consultative Assembly,
Speaker and Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives (DPR),
Speaker and Deputy Speakers of the House of Regional Representatives (DPD),
Head of State Institutions,
Chairs of political parties, Chair of Golkar Party Dr. Bahlil Lahadalia, Chair of Gerindra Party represented by Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Chair of Nasdem Party Dr. Drs. H. Surya Paloh, Chair of PKB (National Awakening Party) Dr. Drs. H. Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar, President of PKS (Prosperous Justice Party) H. Ahmad Syaikhu, Chair of PAN (National Mandate Party) Dr. H. Zulkifli Hasan, Chair of Democratic Party Dr. H. Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono,
Chair and members of the General Elections Commission, Chair of the Elections Supervisory Board, Head of the Honorary Council of Elections Organizers,
Attorney General, Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Polri), and Chiefs of Staff of the Indonesian Forces,
Mr. Anies Rasyid Baswedan and Mr. Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar, and Mr. Ganjar Pranowo and Prof. Dr. Mahfud MD, as the president and vice president candidate pairs during the recent 2024 Presidential General Election,
Journalists of print and electronic media from home and abroad,
Distinguished and honorable guests,
My fellow Indonesians,
My fellow citizens wherever you are,
As a person of faith, let us never cease to offer our utmost gratitude to the Almighty God, for we have been blessed with health so we can attend this auspicious assembly and carry out our constitutional duties with diligence and in peace.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, we are greatly honored at the occasion of the Inauguration of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia. Today, we are joined by 19 heads of state and government, as well as 15 special envoys from other friendly nations. These distinguished figures from our friendly countries have travelled great distances to be here despite their busy schedules. In the midst of the many challenges they face, they have come to honor the nation and the people of Indonesia.
Therefore, on behalf of the nation and the people of Indonesia, let me express my sincerest appreciation to all heads of government, heads of state, and representatives of friendly countries who are here with us.
Your Majesty Sultan and Yang Dipertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam, Paduka Sri Baginda Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Wad’daulah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien,
President of the Republic of the Philippines, Your Excellency Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Madame Louise Araneta Marcos,
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Your Majesty Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet,
Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Your Excellency Han Duck-soo,
Prime Minister of Malaysia, Your Excellency Datuk Sri Haji Anwar Ibrahim,
Prime Minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, Your Excellency James Marape, MP,
Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Your Excellency Milos Vucevic,
Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, Your Excellency Lawrence Wong and Madame Loo Tze Lui,
Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Your Excellency Jeremiah Manele , MP,
Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Your Excellency Xanana Gusmao,
Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu, Your Excellency Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas and Madame Marine Justine Salwai,
Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, Your Excellency Han Zeng,
Vice President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Your Excellency Pany Yathotou,
Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Your Excellency Võ Thị Ánh Xuân,
First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Your Excellency Denis Manturov,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs of Qatar, Dr. Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia, Your Honourable Richard Marles, MP,
Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, Your Honourable Winston Peters,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport of the Kingdom of Thailand Suriya Jungrungreangkit,
Special Envoy and Former President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Your Excellency Christian Wulff,
Special Envoy of the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Your Excellency Adel al-Jubeir,
Special Envoy of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Your Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan,
Special Envoy of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Minister of Awqaf, Your Excellency Osama Al Azhari,
Special Envoy of the President of Türkiye, Minister of National Defense, Your Excellency General Yaşar Güler,
Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of the Great Britain and Northern Island, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Your Right Honourable David Lammy, MP,
Special Envoy of the President of the United States, Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN, Your Excellency Linda Thomas Greenfield,
Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders, Your Excellency Muhammad Abdulsalam,
Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Minister of State for External Affairs, Your Excellency Pabitra Margherita,
Special Envoy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Your Excellency Dr. Nancy Namrouqa,
Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Japan, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Your Excellency Komura Masahiko,
Special Envoy of the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, Undersecretary of State for Defence, Your Honourable Matteo Perego di Cremnago,
Canada’s Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Canada, Your Honourable Ian McKay,
Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic, France’s Special Envoy for ASEAN, Your Excellency François Corbin,
Your Excellencies Ambassadors of friendly countries,
On behalf of the people of Indonesia, I would like to thank you for your distinguished presence. You honor us by coming all the way in the midst of a very busy schedule to grace us with your presence in our moment of constitutional sovereignty.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
A moment ago, before this esteemed assembly, before the entire people of Indonesia, and most importantly, before the Almighty God, Allah SWT, Mr. Gibran Rakabuming Raka and I, Prabowo Subianto, took an oath to uphold our constitution, to enforce all applicable laws and regulations, and to serve the nation and its people. We shall honor this oath to the best of our abilities, with full responsibility, and with all the strength of our body and soul. We will lead the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, the leadership of the nation and the people of Indonesia with sincerity, put the interests of all people of Indonesia first, including those who did not vote for us. We will put the interests of the nation of Indonesia, the people of Indonesia, above all else—above all groups, and certainly above our own.
My fellow citizens,
The challenges, obstacles, hindrances, and threats we face as the nation of Indonesia amidst global dynamics and turmoil are no easy task. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are aware, we understand that the blessings bestowed upon us by the Almighty are immense and truly diverse. We have vast areas of land and seas. We have extensive amount of natural resources. We recognize that these natural resources consist of elements crucial for the life of humankind in the 21st century and beyond. However, despite all of those gifts, despite the advantages that we have, which certainly should lead us to move forward with optimism, we must also have the courage to acknowledge the hindrances, challenges, obstacles, threats, and difficulties that lie before us. I always urge my fellow citizens to be a courageous nation, a nation unafraid of challenges, a nation undismayed by threats.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Indeed, our history is one filled with heroism, sacrifice, and courage. It is the bravery of not only the leaders but also our people in facing every challenge, even in the face of invasions by foreign nations.
My fellow citizens,
We understand and we acknowledge that our independence was not a gift. We earned it with immense sacrifice. Ladies and Gentlemen, we must always understand and remember that the greatest sacrifice came from our people, from the poorest among us, the commoners who fought and provided for the fighters. Let us not forget, during our war of independence, we had no budget, no State Budget, and our troops were not paid. Who fed us? It was the farmers in the villages, the fishers, and the laborers who continuously supported us. They are the ones who laid the foundation for the Republic of Indonesia.
Now, I call upon all of you, especially the leaders in various sectors—intellectuals, religious scholars, business leaders, political leaders, the youth, and students—let us have the courage to face these challenges together.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Some of the great challenges we face come from outside forces, but we must acknowledge—we must have the courage to admit—that many challenges, many difficulties, and many obstacles arise from within ourselves. There are challenges and difficulties that occur because we are not vigilant, because at times we are not capable or skilled enough in managing our own wealth.
My fellow citizens,
Let us have the courage to reflect on ourselves, let us have the bravery to face our own shortcomings, and let us boldly commit to improving ourselves. Let us be courageous in correcting our own faults.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We must confront the reality that there are still far too many leaks, abuses, and instances of corruption in our country. This poses a serious threat to our future and to the future of our children and grandchildren. We must have the courage to acknowledge the numerous leaks in our budget, the deviations, and the collusion among political officials and government officials at all levels with unethical and unpatriotic businesspeople. Let us not be afraid to confront this reality. We still see many of our fellow citizens who have yet to enjoy the fruits of independence. There are too many of our people living below the poverty line, too many of our children who go to school without having breakfast, and too many of our children who have no clothes to wear to school.
My fellow citizens,
As political leaders, we must not become overly pleased by statistics that make us feel prematurely happy or satisfied without fully understanding the big picture. We take pride in being accepted into the G20. We take pride in being recognized as the 16th largest economy in the world, but do we truly comprehend? Do we genuinely see the complete state of our situation? Are we aware that poverty in Indonesia remains far too prevalent? Are we well-informed that many of our people and children are reeling from malnutrition? Many of our citizens cannot secure decent jobs. Many of our schools are neglected. Ladies and Gentlemen, we must have the courage to acknowledge all of this, and we must have the determination to resolve these issues.
My fellow citizens,
I invite us all to have the courage to confront reality. We may take pride in our achievements, but let us not be complacent, let us not become too quickly content, and let us not turn a blind eye to the challenges and suffering faced by our fellow citizens.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We must not adopt the attitude of an ostrich, which buries its head in the sand when faced with unpleasant reality. Let us boldly confront threats and dangers, let us courageously face difficulties. My fellow citizens, let us come together, let us unite to seek solutions and find a way out of these threats and dangers.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have declared that Indonesia must achieve food self-sufficiency immediately. We must not rely on other countries for our food supply. In times of crisis, in urgent situations, no one will permit us to purchase their goods. Therefore, there is no other option; within the shortest possible time, we must achieve food resilience. We must be able to produce and meet the food needs of all people of Indonesia. I have studied this alongside experts who assist me, and I am confident that within four to five years at the latest, we will achieve food self-sufficiency. On top of that, we will be prepared to become a global food estate.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We must also be self-sufficient in energy. In the face of tensions, in times of possible war everywhere, we must be prepared for the worst possible outcome: other countries must put their own interests first. If something we do not want happens, we will find it hard to obtain energy sources from other countries. Therefore, we must be self-sufficient in energy and we have the capacity to achieve this.
God has bestowed upon us with plants that enable us to be independent of other nations, such as oil palm, which can produce diesel oil and gasoline. We also have other plants such as cassava, sugar cane, sago, corn, and so on. We also have enough underground, geothermal energy. We have a huge amount of coal. We have a huge amount of hydro-based energy. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Government that I lead will be focusing on achieving energy self-sufficiency.
We must also properly manage our water. Thank God, we have sufficient water sources. And, we already have the technology to produce low-cost water to meet our needs.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We must also ensure that all subsidies provided to our people in need really reach them. We must have the courage to do research and, if necessary, change the subsidies to directly reach the families in need. With digital technology, we will be able to deliver the subsidies to every family in need. It is not acceptable for the aid to not reach those in need.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our children should all be able to eat nutritious food at least once a day. And, we will strive for that; we will exert our efforts. Ladies and Gentlemen, in addition, to ensure, to protect the weakest in achieving real welfare, real prosperity, we must downstream all our commodities. The added value of all commodities must enhance our economic strength so that our people can reach a prosperous level of life. All our commodities must be enjoyed by all Indonesians.
I have stated that we must courageously face and eradicate corruption with improved systems in place. With strict law enforcement and digitalization, God willing, we will be able to significantly reduce corruption. But we have to do this, all elements of leadership must set an example, Ing Ngarso Sung Tulodo (those in front should set an example).
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There is a proverb that says, the fish rots from the head down. All high-ranking officials, from the echelons and at all levels, must set an example of clean government leadership. We need to start with examples from the top and after that, strict and firm law enforcement.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
All of us must believe and have faith that we have the capacity to eliminate poverty from the Indonesian soil. This is a challenging goal and many even say that it is impossible.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
A brave leader, a good leader, will have the call to face the impossible and find a way to overcome it. A brave nation is a nation that can turn the impossible possible.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Amid of our big aspirations, the ones we yearn for, we need a sense of togetherness; we need a sense of unity; we need collaboration and not prolonged arguments; we need leaders who don’t curse, leaders who are wise, who understand and love our nation’s culture and history, who are proud of our nation’s traditions and customs. From the earliest days of our nation, the will and design of our founding fathers, we wanted to be a democratic nation. We place the sovereignty of the people as high as possible in the foundation of our state ideology Pancasila; people’s sovereignty is the main joint of the five precepts that we uphold. “The people’s sovereignty led by the wisdom of deliberation and representation”
We seek a democratic life, but let us recognize that our democracy must be a democracy that is distinctively Indonesian, a democracy that is fitting for our nation, a democracy that stems from our history and culture. Our democracy must be a polite democracy, a democracy where dissenting opinions must be free of hostility. A democracy where correction must be made without insults, where fights must be fought without hatred, where competitions must be won without cheating. Our democracy must be one that refrains from violence, that refrains from divide and conquer, that refrains from incitement. Our democracy must be a tranquil democracy, a peaceful democracy, a democracy that avoids hypocrisy.
Only with unity and cooperation, we will achieve the aspirations of our ancestors, a nation that is Gemah Ripah Loh Jinawi (abundant and prosperous) or Toto Tentrem Kertoraharjo (peaceful and prosperous living), a nation that is Baldatun Toyyibatun Warobbun Ghofur (a good land and a forgiving God), a nation where people have enough food to eat, enough clothing to wear, enough shelter to live. Our goal is to see the common people smiling and laughing.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We must remember that power belongs to the people. Our sovereignty is the sovereignty of the people. We hold authority with the people’s approval. We exercise authority for the benefit of the people. We must always remember, every leader at every level must always remember, our work must be for the people, not for ourselves, not for our relatives, not for our leaders. Leaders must work for the people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We must always understand, always realize, that an independent nation is a nation where the people are free. The people must be free from fear, free from poverty, free from hunger, free from illiteracy, free from oppression, free from suffering.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There are our fellow citizens aged over 70 years who are still pedaling rickshaws. These are not the characteristics of an independent nation. Only if we can achieve this, if we can achieve a society where our people genuinely feel and enjoy independence, can we be truly satisfied and proud of Indonesia’s achievements. Before that, let us work hard, let us strive without quitting, let us accumulate and safeguard all our resources. Do not let our resources be taken for cheap by others. Ladies and Gentlemen, all our resources must be used to the greatest extent for the benefit and prosperity of our people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the history of politics, it is easy to say but not easy to achieve. However, we can achieve it if we unite and work together. Let us build the future together; let us acknowledge our colleagues regardless of their ethnicity, religion, party, group affiliation, we are all Indonesian children. Let us compete with enthusiasm, and after the competition, let us reassemble.
President Joko Widodo has beaten me, I forget how many times. But once he won, he invited me to unite, and I accepted the invitation. Now I am the one who won. And I invite all parties, let us unite!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In terms of international relations, Indonesia chooses a ‘free and active’, non-aligned approach. We do not want to join any military pacts, we choose the path of friendship with all countries. I have repeatedly stated that Indonesia will carry out foreign policy as a country that wishes to be a good neighbor, we want to be the good neighbor. We want to follow the ancient philosophy, “A thousand friends are too few, one enemy is too many.”
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thus, we want to be friends with all countries. However, we have principles. Our principle is the principle of anti-colonialism, because we have experienced colonialism. We are against oppression, because we have been oppressed. We are anti-racism; we are anti-apartheid, because we have experienced apartheid. When we were colonized, we were even classed as lower than dogs. Many inscriptions and marble, many boards where it was written with Honden en Inlander Verboden (Dogs and natives are prohibited). I still see, I still see the inscription at the Manggarai swimming pool in ’78, Honden en Inlander Verboden.
My fellow citizens,
That is why we have a principle: We must be solidary; we must defend the oppressed peoples of the world. Therefore, we support the independence of the Palestinian people. President Joko Widodo’s Government has sent a lot of aid. Today, we have a medical team working in Gaza, in Rafah, with extremely high risks. Our doctors, our nurses, have teamed up in Rafah, in Gaza, with our brothers and sisters from the United Arab Emirates. And, we are ready to send more aid and we are ready to evacuate the wounded and traumatized children as well as the victims. We are preparing all our army hospitals and later other hospitals to help our brothers and sisters who fall victims to an unjust war.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are a nation that must remain grateful to the liberating generation, to our founding father Bung Karno, Bung Hatta, other heroes including I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Captain Pattimura, Sultan Hasanuddin, Teuku Umar, Cut Nyak Dien, and all the heroes we cannot name one by one. They are the ones who paid the price of independence with their blood and tears.
We are grateful to our first president and proclaimer Bung Karno, who gifted us with the state ideology Pancasila. He was in and out of jail, exiled everywhere from a young age because he fought for an independent Indonesia. Indonesia did not want to be the blood of other nations. Soekarno, Hatta, Sjahrir, all the founders of this nation sacrificed themselves and have led us well.
We are also grateful to President Soeharto, who contributed a significant role in saving and safeguarding the ideology of Pancasila, laying the foundation for a modern Indonesia. We are grateful to President Habibie, who laid the foundation for us to achieve and master science and technology. We thank President Abdurrahman Wahid, who set an example of tolerance between religions, between tribes; who upheld an inclusive, tolerant Indonesia. We are grateful to President Megawati, who resolved the economic problems caused by the crash of ’98. It must be acknowledged that under the Megawati Government, the problems of many collapsed companies were fixed and rescued. We must thank President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who led Indonesia during a very severe crisis, faced the tsunami and handled it together with Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who resolved the long-running conflict in Aceh. This is an achievement that we must acknowledge.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
All of them in their own way have contributed to what we now enjoy: an intact, sovereign, independent nation that continues to safeguard and fight for freedom and justice.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Now, let us extend our gratitude to the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, President Joko Widodo and Vice President Prof. Ma’ruf Amin. Thank you for your leadership, thank you for your statesmanship. You have guided this nation through severe crises. We do not feel it today but remember during the time of COVID-19. We were afraid to even come out of our houses. I was a witness, I was his minister, all domestic and foreign parties, kept calling him, kept pressuring him, asking for a lockdown, lockdown, lockdown. He refused. He thought, if we imposed a lockdown, what about the common people, what about those small stalls, what about the online motorcycle taxi drivers, what about the people who eat from daily wages. Let us not forget the achievements of our leaders. Thank you Mr. Jokowi. Thank you Prof. Ma’ruf Amin. You have contributed to this nation, you will be remembered as one of the best sons of Indonesia.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Finally, I sincerely ask for your blessings. Let us build Indonesia upon the foundation laid by our predecessors. Let us learn all the shortcomings, recognize them, and correct them. Stop holding grudges, eliminate hatred, build harmony, and build mutual cooperation. Those are the characteristics of the Indonesian people. Those are the teachings of Bung Karno.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are ready to continue the baton of leadership. We are ready to work hard towards a Golden Indonesia, a strong, independent, sovereign, just and prosperous nation. We do not want to disturb anyone. We do not want to disturb other nations, but we will also not allow any nation to disturb us. May the Great God Almighty Allah, who owns all the worlds, protect us all and be with us all in our journey, in our service to the nation and country. We also pray to the Almighty, that our great guests, those who have come from afar, will return to their homes safe and sound and continue to remain in friendly relations with us, my fellow citizens.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
Peace and prosperity be upon us,
Syalom,
Om Santi, Santi, Santi, Om,
Namo Buddhaya,
Rahayu, Rahayu.
Merdeka (freedom)!
Merdeka!
Merdeka!
(FI/DH/MUR)