Welcoming Lunar New Year 2026, Lestari Moerdijat Urges Strengthening of Social Cohesion

Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat has assessed that the Lunar New Year celebrations, which fell on Tuesday (17 February), represent a strategic momentum for accelerating national development. The celebrations are considered capable of strengthening the nation’s social cohesion, which in turn fosters the emergence of a resilient nation for the future.

“The Lunar New Year celebrations, which involve the wider community, create spaces for dialogue between different groups, thereby strengthening the social cohesion of every citizen,” she said in a written statement on Tuesday (17 February 2026).

According to Rerie, as she is commonly known, the Lunar New Year is not merely about identity, but rather about how cultural diversity within a pluralistic society can be managed as a collective strength for nation-building. She noted that the major challenges in the current development process demand collective action from all elements of the nation.

“Amidst the diversity that we possess, Indonesia requires strong social cohesion so that every citizen is able to work towards realising our shared aspirations,” she said.

Rerie expressed her hope that this year’s Lunar New Year momentum can be utilised optimally to reinforce national unity as capital for enhancing the nation’s competitiveness going forward.