Defense Minister Prabowo Emphasizes The Importance Of National Unity In The Majemuk Republic Of Indonesia

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto served a joint photo request after speaking at the MNC Forum LXX in Jakarta, Tuesday (30/5/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Team Media Prabowo Subianto)

JAKARTA - Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto emphasized the importance of national unity in the midst of pluralism which is a distinct feature for Indonesia.

"We are a country that is so pluralistic. Heterogeneity can become vulnerable if we are not good at managing," Prabowo was quoted as saying in a written statement quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 31.

The Minister of Defense conveyed this when he was a speaker at the MNC Forum LXX in Jakarta, Tuesday (30/5) night

Prabowo emphasized how extraordinary the achievements of the founding fathers of the nation were able to unite the pluralistic Indonesian people of various ethnic groups, religions, races, and ethnicities.

This, Prabowo continued, was reflected in the decision of the founding fathers of the nation to choose Indonesian as the national language.

"They choose the national language not from the majority language. Indonesian comes from the Malay language, from Sumatra regions which are minorities," he said.

According to the Minister of Defense, this proves that the founders of the nation are not figures who are concerned with subjective thoughts such as primordialism.

"If Indonesian leaders think of ethnicism, primordialism, the majority are Javanese. It could be that our leaders like Bung Karno are fighting for the majority language to become national languages. But it's not," said Prabowo.

This choice is practically a unifying step for Indonesia, which Prabowo says must be maintained by current and future leaders, considering that other countries still have difficulty uniting because they do not have a national language.

"Many other countries are difficult, many other countries do not have national language. This is the brilliant of our founding fathers," he said.