We Are All Brothers, President Jokowi Says

President Jokowi opens Congress XIX of Indonesia Islamic Students Movement (PMII) at Darussalam Grand Mosque, Palu, Central Sulawesi, Tuesday (16/5)

President Joko ‘Jokowi Widodo asked all elements of the nation to stop insulting, accusing, slandering, and protesting against each other. He reminded all elements of the nation that it is important to maintain unity because we are all brothers.

When delivering his directives at the opening of Congress XIX of Indonesia Islamic Students Movement (PMII) at Darussalam Grand Mosque, Palu, Central Sulawesi, Tuesday (16/5), the President said that he is sad watching a lot of people go on a demonstration every day.<>

“We will run out of energy because of these demonstrations, not to mention the accusation, insult, and slander,” the President said.

The President reminded that we are all brothers. Thus, the President asked all people to stop insulting and accusing others. “We are brothers. Those actions are not productive and waste our energy,” the President further said.

For all political elites, President Jokowi asked to set a good example and convey their words appropriately. “Don’t lose our identity and characters because our country is known as a friendly and polite country.

The President said that we are diverse. This is our strength. He reminded that Indonesia is a big country since it has 17,000 islands, more than 500 regencies/cities, 34 provinces, 714 tribes, and 1,100 local languages.

“There is no other countries like us. This is God’s fate that must be maintained,” the President said.

To the member of PMII, President Jokowi told them to have a dream to become an entrepreneur, not just dreaming about becoming a politician since there are only 1.6 percent entrepreneurs in this country. The normal figure is above 5 percent.

“Be an entrepreneur with big ideas. Be a software developer, application, animation, and games. There are the battle fields for young people because later the market is no longer in a real market but in e-commerce as well as online store. We are left behind other countries.

The opening of the Congress, that was attended by 6,000 participants, was attended also by, among others, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Minister of Research and Technology and Higher Education M. Nasir, Chief of Indonesian National Police Gen. Tito Karnavian, and Governor of Central Sulawesi Longki Djanggola. (*/ES) (MMB/YM/Naster)