Prabowo Curhat Travel 20 Years To Become President: Tired Too, But That's The Process

Presiden Prabowo di acara puncak HUT ke-60 Partai Golkar di Sentul International Convention Center (SICC), Bogor, Kamis 12 Desember 2024 (dok Setneg)

JAKARTA President Prabowo Subianto expressed his feelings about the long journey he had to go through before finally being elected head of state. In his remarks at the top event of the 60th Anniversary of the Golkar Party at Sentul International Convention Center (SICC), Bogor, Thursday, December 12, Prabowo admitted that the two decades' political journey was not easy and full of challenges.

"Actually, I'm also tired for 20 years. In 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, it was only 2024 (finally elected as president)," said Prabowo, remembering his long struggle.

In 2004, Prabowo first tried his luck on the national political stage through the Golkar Party convention to determine presidential candidates. At that time, he competed with big figures such as Akbar Tanjung, Surya Paloh, Aburizal Bakrie, and Wiranto. However, the convention was won by Wiranto, who later became a Golkar presidential candidate in the 2004 presidential election in pairs with Salahuddin Wahid.

Five years later, in the 2009 presidential election, Prabowo ran as a vice presidential candidate to accompany Megawati Soekarnoputri, with the support of the Gerindra Party which he founded after leaving Golkar. However, the Megawati-Prabowo pair had to admit defeat to the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Boediono pair.

His political journey did not stop there. Prabowo fought in the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections as a presidential candidate, but twice had to accept defeat to Joko Widodo. In 2014, he was paired with Hatta Rajasa, while in 2019, he collaborated with Sandiaga Uno. Only in the 2024 presidential election, his struggle paid off, by being elected President of the Republic of Indonesia.

"However, maybe that's what I have to take. It's all part of the embezzlement and education for me," Prabowo said.

President Prabowo stressed that a long political journey taught him that defeat was part of the process, but the spirit to bounce back was the most important.

The usual fighter fights and falls, it's normal. The extraordinary thing is after falling, standing again and fighting again. This is a lesson I have learned," he said. Prabowo also called on the election participants and legislative candidates who have not succeeded in political contestation not to give up. He emphasized the importance of continuing to fight for the benefit of the people.

Furthermore, Prabowo reminded that a political leader must have deep insights into politics, economy, state and technocracy, as well as the spirit of patriotism and love for the country.

"Smart people who don't love the country are people who are less beneficial to the nation, and people who are not loyal usually harm the organization," he concluded.