Prabowo Inaugurates Seskoad Museum in Bandung

President Prabowo Subianto inaugurated the renovated Seskoad Museum and Library in Bandung, West Java, on Monday (25 May). ‘With the invocation of Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, this Monday, 25 May 2026, I, Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia, hereby inaugurate the renovated Seskoad Museum and Library,’ Prabowo stated. According to the Presidential Secretariat, the inauguration underscores Seskoad’s role as an educational institution that has produced numerous prominent leaders. Seskoad has produced graduates who went on to become national leaders, including Indonesia’s second President Soeharto, sixth President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and current President Prabowo Subianto, himself a Seskoad alumnus. Additionally, three Seskoad graduates have served as Vice-Presidents of Indonesia: fourth Vice-President Umar Wirahadikusumah, fifth Vice-President Sudharmono, and sixth Vice-President Try Sutrisno. The institution also has an international reputation, having produced four Singapore Army Chiefs of Staff who studied there. These include Neo Kian Hong (2007-2010), Melvyn Ong Su Kiat (2015-2018), David Neo Chin Wee (2022-2025), and current Chief Cai Dexian. Head of Seskoad’s Department of Struggle and Doctrine, Colonel Arhanud Desi Ariyanto, explained that the museum will serve as an important learning space for officers to understand the history of struggle and leadership. He stated that as part of the military, soldiers must thoroughly understand history, particularly military and warfare history. ‘The museum was established to delve into all historical records, as military personnel must know, especially the history of wars and military affairs, which also encompass leadership,’ Desi said. Alongside the museum, Seskoad operates a large library with 42,000 books. Each year, approximately 500 students, including 30 international students, undergo training there. ‘They learn here. On the first floor of the museum, they study history; on the second floor, they enhance their capabilities, skills, and intellectual development—not just military, but also governance,’ he added.