Puan stresses importance of justice and national unity on Independence Day

House Speaker Puan Maharani stressed the importance of upholding justice and maintaining national unity during the commemoration of the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia.

She said that the responsibility for nurturing unity rests on the shoulders of all Indonesians, and even more so on state administrators. Therefore, she said that state policies must be able to protect, prosper and educate the people.

“81 years of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia is a milestone to continue strengthening unity, safeguarding national sovereignty, upholding justice, and delivering prosperity for all Indonesian people,” Puan said while attending the 2026 Indonesian Independence commemoration ceremony at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.

She assessed that the theme of the 81st Independence Day, “A Sovereign, Just and Prosperous Indonesia”, should be a momentum to raise the standard of national development success for the welfare of the people. For that, joint work is needed from all Indonesians and every element of the state.

“When all Indonesians uphold the spirit of mutual cooperation, and prioritise the interests of the nation above the interests of groups, then development will not only run more effectively, but will also be able to deliver great and fair benefits for all Indonesian people,” she said.

Puan also invited all Indonesians to maintain harmony amid various differences. Diversity, she said, is not a threat to unity but rather a harmony that must be united by the same ideals and goals, namely the same feeling as Indonesian people.

“With the spirit of mutual cooperation, we continue to move towards an Indonesia that is increasingly advanced, strong and dignified,” she said.

President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming arrived at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Monday for the ceremony commemorating the Proclamation of Independence of the Republic of Indonesia.

President Prabowo wore national traditional attire with a blue top and matching trousers, combined with a brown-toned songket cloth and completed with a black peci cap when receiving the report from the ceremony commander.

Meanwhile, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming wore black traditional attire from East Nusa Tenggara.