IPSI Aims to Strengthen Pencak Silat's Role in Nation's Character Building

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Chairman of the Executive Board of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (PB IPSI), Sugiono, has affirmed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening pencak silat’s role in building the nation’s character and mentality. He made the statement while attending a grand prayer event for the construction of the Tapak Suci Putera Muhammadiyah pencak silat hermitage in Yogyakarta on Saturday. “This is one of the programmes underpinning the PB IPSI management. We want to reinforce pencak silat’s position in the development of the nation’s character and mentality,” Sugiono said, as quoted from an official statement received in Jakarta. Sugiono also praised Tapak Suci’s plan to turn the hermitage into a pencak silat academy for orphans and victims of bullying, calling it a noble objective. “This is a real step by Tapak Suci Putra Muhammadiyah to answer societal problems regarding the mental condition of our young generation and children who experience bullying and hardship,” he stated. Sugiono emphasised that PB IPSI fully supports the construction of the hermitage and will provide financial assistance to ensure its smooth completion. He expressed confidence that Muhammadiyah, particularly Tapak Suci, will continue to preserve pencak silat, strengthen the nation’s character, and deepen the faith of the younger generation. On the same occasion, Chairman of PP Muhammadiyah, Prof Haedar Nashir MSi, expressed his hope that the hermitage would soon be realised as a symbol of national self-reliance. Haedar stated that Muhammadiyah will continue to contribute to building the physical, mental, and character strength of the nation. The Tapak Suci Putera Muhammadiyah pencak silat hermitage will be built in stages on a 4,000-square-metre plot of land with a budget of Rp20 billion. The facility will also function as a multipurpose building suitable for sports such as basketball and tennis, and will provide space for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the surrounding area.