Bonding Through Unity
Jokowi has readied five major stages to move forward towards an advanced Indonesia. Unity is the main bond.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The dynamic global environment demands new values and patterns of governance for developing a more productive and competitive country. In this, unity and integrity are the bonds that propel the nation towards progress.
"Only by being united will we become a strong and respected country in the world. The ideology of Pancasila is the only national ideology and which every citizen must be a part of," President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said on Sunday (14/7/2019) in his Indonesian Vision 2019-2024 at the Sentul International Convention Center in Bogor.
It was Jokowi\'s first speech as the 2019-2024 president-elect since the General Elections Commission (KPU) declared on 30 June he and Ma\'ruf Amin as the winners of the 2019 election.
He delivered the speech one day after he met with Gerindra Party chairman and former 2019 election rival Prabowo Subianto, during which the two stressed their determination to build the nation together.
Present at the Indonesian Vision 2019-2024 rally were vice president-elect Ma\'ruf Amin, First Lady Iriana Widodo, Amin’s wife Wury Estu Handayani, representatives of the political parties that backed the Jokowi-Amin election campaign, volunteers and several Cabinet ministers.
At the end of the event, Andi Gani Nena Wea led those gathered in reading out the “declaration of the nation\'s children”, which affirmed that Pancasila was the sole ideology of the nation, that civilized democracy was the driver of life, that all must step forward to advance together, and that Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) was the bond of an advanced, just and prosperous Indonesia.
Five stages
In his speech, Jokowi said that he had prepared five major stages towards a more productive, competitive Indonesia that was flexible in facing change. The five stages were: continuing with infrastructure development, prioritizing human resource development, creating jobs through attracting broad investment, bureaucratic reform and a guaranteed, focused use of the state budget (APBN) toward achieving the targets.
Meanwhile, Ma\'ruf Amin stressed that all citizens, without exception, must benefit from Indonesia\'s vision for the future.
In relation to this, Amin urged all parties to join hands in building the country. Amin said that the nation was like a mutually reinforcing structure. "Therefore, we are part of the structure that is Indonesia. Let us be the sand, even if only a single grain. Let us be the cement, even if just a spoonful," he said.
Kompas noted that Jokowi\'s speech was in line with the Jokowi-Amin campaign’s vision, mission and work programs that it had submitted to the KPU for the 2019 election. However, Jokowi did not explicitly mention several points in the Jokowi-Amin vision and mission during last night’s speech, such as corruption eradication.
Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioner Indriyanto Seno Adji, who is a criminal law professor at Krisnadwipayana University, said that the omission did not mean that corruption eradication was not a priority for the next government.
"Jokowi\'s speech is directed more towards the [current] political trend, the spirit of national and state unity after the historic post-election meeting between Jokowi and Prabowo following the Constitutional Court\'s decision [in the election dispute]. So even though the issue of corruption eradication was not mentioned, this cannot be interpreted as a sign that eradicating corruption is no longer a priority," said Indriyanto.
Meanwhile, PT Adaro Energy president director Giribaldi “Boy” Thohir said he welcomed Jokowi\'s speech, especially regarding investment and human resource development. "His vision is correct, [that] investment and human resources will make us competitive. It can be achieved if the execution on the ground is also good. Well, we’ll see later," said Giribaldi.
Shared home
Jokowi also said in his speech that a democracy offered the opportunity to show strong support for a candidate. "Being the opposition is also very noble. Just go ahead. As long as being the opposition does not lead to revenge. Don’t become the [kind of] opposition that spreads hate. Let alone one that uses insults, verbal abuse and curses," he said.
Jokowi also emphasized that those who disrupted Pancasila would not be tolerated.
"There are no more Indonesians who don\'t want Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, no more Indonesians who are intolerant of differences," he said.
Separately, United Development Party secretary-general Arsul Sani stressed that a line must be drawn against those who had their own agenda and tried to deny Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). "We must guard these four national consensuses, regardless of our day-to-day roles," Arsul said.
Gerindra deputy secretary-general Andre Rosiade emphasized that his party would determine its official stance for 2019-2024 after its national working meeting (Rakernas) in August.
"The stance of all Gerindra cadres is to follow Pak Prabowo\'s decision. The party will consider all inputs in formulating its official stance at the Rakernas," he said.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Mardani Ali Sera said that maintaining communication and good relations among party leaders was a good approach to take for democracy.
"We get along well in our love for the country, but having a different attitude is also good, so that we can teach people to be rational," he said. (SAN/INK/INA/IAN/FAI)