Prabowo: A Nation That Is Not Strong Will Be Trampled by Others

Ponorogo, VIVA – President Prabowo Subianto has asserted that the Indonesian nation must become strong, referencing the country’s history of being colonised by foreign powers.

Prabowo emphasised that a nation lacking strength will be trampled upon by other nations. This statement was made by the President during his address at the 100th-anniversary thanksgiving ceremony of Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor in Ponorogo, East Java, on Saturday, 19 September 2026.

“Because a nation that is not strong will be trampled upon by other nations. We must learn from history. It was said earlier that we want to build history, but we must learn from history,” said Prabowo.

He called upon all national leaders and the general public to prioritise honesty with themselves. Prabowo did not deny that every human being possesses individual weaknesses.

“We must be brave enough to look at our weaknesses. It is easy for us to speak grandiosely, but it is difficult for us to recognise our own shortcomings and our own weaknesses,” he said.

The Head of State expressed his desire to prevent Indonesia from ever being colonised by another nation again. He requested that religious teachers (ustadz) and scholars (ulama) help instil courage within the next generation of the nation.

“I hope that from the ustadz and the ulama, they can awaken the courage to learn from our own weaknesses and our own shortcomings,” said Prabowo.

“This is bitter, but we must be brave enough to acknowledge it and learn from it. We must be determined that we shall never, under any circumstances, be colonised again by anyone. We must be strong,” he added.