Australian Politician Uses 'Oke Gas' Phrase to Announce Increased Indonesian Language Funding
Australian Member of Parliament Tim Watts used the phrase ‘oke gas’ when announcing a new budget agreement, stating that the Australian federal government has agreed to increase funding for Indonesian language studies. According to his official Instagram account on Sunday (7/6/2026), Watts noted that the Australian government is ‘ready to go’ regarding budget allocations to enhance relations with Indonesia.
“The Federal Budget says ‘Oke Gas!’ or ‘Let’s go’ to increase Australia’s engagement with our neighbours, partners, and friends—Indonesia,” he stated. Watts noted that the Australian federal government has agreed to an allocation of AUD 11.4 million (approximately IDR 145 billion) for Indonesian language education in Australia. This is part of a total AUD 33.2 million allocated for the implementation of the Australia-Indonesia Joint Security Agreement, which was established by President Prabowo Subianto and Australian PM Anthony Albanese last February.
“There is no partner more important to Australia than Indonesia, and there is no partner more important for Australia to understand than Indonesia. Without intervention, Indonesian language teaching in Australia would face extinction by the next Parliament,” Watts wrote. In his video upload, Watts quoted the words of Indonesia’s 7th President, Joko Widodo, during his visit to Australia, before quoting the ‘Oke gas’ slogan, which is closely associated with President Prabowo.
“As previously stated by the Indonesian President, Jokowi, in this very place in 2020, ‘Australia is Indonesia’s closest friend’, and this year federal funding has declared ‘Oke gas’ or ‘Let’s Go’ to enhance relations with our neighbour and friend, Indonesia,” he said. He remarked that the relationship between Indonesia and Australia has entered a new chapter, emphasizing that Australians must deepen their understanding of Indonesia, particularly through its language.
He further explained that the Albanese government’s budget has allocated AUD 33.2 million to support the implementation of the Australia-Indonesia Joint Security Agreement, which includes AUD 11.4 million for Indonesian language education and AUD 3.4 million to establish the Australia-Indonesia Leadership Dialogue. He noted that federal support for language learning is crucial given the declining number of universities and schools teaching Indonesian in Australia. Additionally, the government is providing extra scholarships for Australian students to study the Indonesian language directly in Indonesia, viewing this as a strategic investment.
Watts also recounted his visit to Solo, which he described as a political and cultural hub. He mentioned meeting young Indonesian leaders during his visit, including the Mayor of Solo, Respati Ardi, and Prince Mangkunegara X. He noted that Solo is the hometown of both former President Jokowi and the current Vice President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, both of whom previously served as the city’s mayor.