Prabowo calls on all sides to unite

Jakarta (ANTARA) – President Prabowo Subianto has called on all sides to set aside their differences and unite in the interests of the people, saying that a volatile global situation requires Indonesia to safeguard national unity.

“Indonesians live in the spirit of Pancasila, in an atmosphere of mutual respect, support and love. We have different religions, so let us protect all religions. We have different ethnic groups, so let us protect them all,” President Prabowo said while opening a plenary Cabinet meeting at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Prabowo said differences in regional languages, customs and cultures were a national asset, while mutual respect was a noble value.

Indonesia had now become a “melting pot”, he said, as there were hardly any ethnic groups whose members lived only in their places of origin. He gave the examples of Minangkabau people in Jakarta, who outnumber those in West Sumatra, and Batak people in Bandung, who may outnumber those around Lake Toba.

He then pointed to the diversity in the meeting room, including Coordinating Minister Bahlil Lahadalia.

“I see this mixture of people in this room. That’s right, isn’t it? There is Mr Bahlil, who is now a coordinating minister. Perhaps the first coordinating minister from Fakfak,” Prabowo said.

Prabowo said his political approach was based on national unity and bringing all forces together, which was also why his governing coalition was so large.

“Differences are good, competition is necessary. Mutual criticism and correction are very necessary. But ultimately, we must safeguard unity,” he said.

The President said safeguarding national unity was a common thread in the struggle of Indonesia’s first president, Soekarno. He said the task had become more urgent amid the state of democracy in European countries such as France and Italy.

He described the world as having almost no international order, with politics conducted on the basis of power, leaving weaker countries at risk of extinction.

The plenary Cabinet meeting was held to mark the second anniversary of the Prabowo-Gibran administration. It was attended by Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, ministers, agency heads, the Indonesian National Armed Forces commander, the national police chief, the Governor of Bank Indonesia and the chair of the Financial Services Authority (OJK).