Bamsoet Receives Central Java Inspirational Figure 2026 Award
Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the Golkar Party faction, former Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly and Deputy Chairman of Golkar, Bambang Soesatyo (Bamsoet), has received the Central Java Inspirational Figure 2026 award organised by Berlian Organizer together with the Central Java Journalists Association.
The award was presented during an appreciation evening held at Wisma Perdamaian, Semarang, on Friday night (28/8/26), as a form of recognition for figures from various fields deemed to have demonstrated dedication, achievement and contribution to society. Bamsoet was one of 13 award recipients drawn from politics, government, law, education, maritime affairs, public services, economics and business, motorsport, and the creative industries.
“I accept this award with gratitude as well as a growing sense of responsibility. For me, this award serves as a reminder that every mandate given by the public must be repaid with work, ideas and contributions that can be felt in tangible ways. Central Java has enormous potential and I want to continue playing a part in driving regional progress and the welfare of its people,” said Bamsoet on Monday (31/8/2026).
He considered the award particularly meaningful because it was given by the press and members of the public who have followed the journeys and contributions of figures across various fields. Appreciation of this kind, he said, should be treated as a form of respect as well as self-evaluation so that recipients maintain consistency in their work.
This is especially important as Central Java faces complex development challenges, ranging from strengthening the regional economy, improving the quality of human resources, creating jobs and reducing poverty, to achieving more equitable development across regions.
“Central Java is one of the key provinces in the national development map. Therefore, Central Java’s progress must not be measured solely by economic growth, infrastructure development or incoming investment. The ultimate measure is whether the public obtains decent jobs, better education, accessible public services and broader economic opportunities. That is the true measure of development success,” said Bamsoet.
Bamsoet explained that data from Statistics Indonesia shows Central Java’s poverty rate in March 2026 stood at 9.21 percent, down 0.18 percentage points compared with September 2025. The decline deserves appreciation, but a poverty rate still above nine percent indicates that significant development work remains.
The challenge is all the more pronounced because poverty does not stand alone; it is closely linked to job quality, education, productivity, access to capital, health and inequality of economic opportunity.
“Central Java possesses strong social and economic capital to accelerate development. The province has a growing manufacturing base, extensive agricultural areas, tourism potential, a creative economy, MSMEs, and universities that can serve as sources of innovation. The challenge is ensuring that all of this potential is connected within a development ecosystem that generates added value for the wider community,” Bamsoet concluded.