'He Thinks Always The Small People,' Prabowo Subianto Admits He Must Learn To Lead The Country From Jokowi

Minister of Defense (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto admitted that he must learn to lead the country from the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo/ANTARA

JAKARTA - Defense Minister (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto admitted that he must learn to lead the country from President Joko Widodo. According to Prabowo, since being entrusted with being Minister of Defense in 2019, he has been a witness to President Jokowi's great commitment to the interests of the people. "He thinks he is always a small person, I finally have to admit that in terms of leading the country I have to learn from Pak Joko Widodo," he said while giving a speech at Istighatsah and the Mutual Prayer Rabithah Melayu-Banjar in Tabalong Regency, South Kalimantan, Antara, Friday, March 17. Prabowo also reminded that his background had a career in the Army (AD) until his last position as Commander of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Pangkostrad). "I used to be a soldier, a soldier. I understand fighting, I understand war, but my country's business now has learned a lot from Pak Joko Widodo," he said. Defense Minister Prabowo gave an example of one of President Jokowi's successes in maintaining the Indonesian economy so as not to be too depressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been going on since 2020, has caused almost all countries in the world to experience a decline in the economy. "We are grateful, thank God, under the leadership of Mr. Joko Widodo, we can overcome the pandemic. We can save most of the Indonesian people," said Prabowo. Therefore, Prabowo emphasized that he was not sorry and even grateful and proud to be able to join the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet, even though he was Jokowi's competitor in the 2014 and 2019 Presidential Elections (Pilpres). "I feel that I am not wrong to join President Joko Widodo. Not only do I feel that I am not wrong, now I feel grateful and I feel proud to have joined President Joko Widodo," he added. According to Prabowo, the fact that the two presidential election contestants can unite in a government is indeed quite interesting and causes confusion at the global level. "Other nations, other countries are confused about the Indonesian nation. They are confused, how can two rivals of two figures finish the match," he said. Prabowo added that it is difficult to find similar things in other countries, even including the United States. "In the United States alone, which is said to be 'Mbahnya Democracy', now two big parties have entered the room, he said they don't want to sit together," he said. According to Prabowo, Indonesia has set an example that when the interests of the nation and state of unity of the two presidential election contestants can be carried out. "If it is for the benefit of the people, if it is for the benefit of the nation and state, we will prioritize the interests of the nation and state," he said.