Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto sent a message to the legislative candidates (Caleg) and regional head candidates (Cakada) who were not successfully elected in the 2024 General Election and Regional Election to keep fighting and not give up.
“So, brothers and sisters, especially those who were not elected in the recent regional elections, what your chairman said is true, never give up,” said Prabowo at the peak event of the 60th anniversary of the Golkar Party at the Sentul International Convention Center (SICC), Bogor, West Java, Thursday night (12/12/2024).
Prabowo said that losing in political contests is a common occurrence. He then recalled how he had lost several times in presidential elections.
He interprets that defeat as part of the journey that must be undertaken in life.
“That’s why it took me a long time to become the President of the Republic of Indonesia. I consider it as part of the training, part of the education.” Actually, it’s tiring (to contest) for 20 years, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, and now 2024. “But maybe that’s what makes the journey, that’s what I have to go through,” said Prabowo.
“Fighting, falling, is normal. What is not normal is standing up again, fighting again. This is the lesson I follow,” he continued.
Furthermore, Prabowo admitted that he agreed with the statement of the Chairman of the Golkar Party, Bahlil Lahadalia, who mentioned that there needs to be improvements in the democratic system in this country.
“I am interested in the thoughts of the Chairman of the Golkar Party.” In my opinion, we need to fix our system, and we shouldn’t be ashamed to admit that this system might be too expensive, right? From the face of the winner, I can see they look weary too. The winner looks dejected, let alone the loser. “We must be brave enough to correct ourselves,” concluded Prabowo.
Prabowo Confused by Jokowi Choosing Bahlil as Minister: His Campus Isn’t on Google
President Prabowo Subianto admitted that he was once confused by the 7th President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, who at that time chose Bahlil Lahadalia as the Minister of Investment. At first, he talked about his closeness with the Chairman of the Golkar Party.
“Dear brothers and sisters, present here today, this afternoon I see a good spirit especially from your Chairman, the new Chairman (Bahlil), whom I have also known for not long.” We just got to know each other recently, sir. Just recently. “Because in 2019 it seems you were on a different team,” Prabowo said, greeted by laughter from the audience at the 60th anniversary of the Golkar Party in Sentul, Bogor, West Java, Thursday (12/12/2024).
Even though they have not known each other for long, Prabowo admitted to being impressed by Bahlil, from his way of speaking, gestures, thoughts, to his convincing views.
“Seriously. Seriously. Seriously.” When I joined Mr. Jokowi in the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet, his cabinet, Mr. Jokowi’s cabinet, I found it a bit strange that he was chosen as the Minister of Investment. Usually, the Minister of Investment is a graduate of a university in America. Right? Harvard University, or Stanford or Berkeley. If not America, at least England. Oxford University, Cambridge, or Sorbonne,” he explained.
“Especially since he is from Papua, right?” Usually, his position is Minister of Underdeveloped Village Development. But he chose Minister of Investment,” he continued.
Ask directly to Bahlil
Prabowo also admitted to having directly asked Bahlil about his educational background. The answer he received, according to him, was quite head-shaking.
“When I met him, I asked.” Mr. Bahlil, you know, I’m asking slowly because I don’t want to offend you. Mr. Bahlil, which university did you graduate from? Sir, my university doesn’t show up on Google, they say. After that, how do you deal with foreign investors? “I don’t want to ask if your English is good,” he said, greeted by laughter from the audience.
“He told me, Sir, that’s not a problem.” That businessman from Korea also doesn’t speak English. The one from Japan also doesn’t speak English. So I have four translators. One for English, Japanese, Korean, and German. So everywhere, there are four interpreters. “This person is quite smart, I must say,” Prabowo continued.
He also remembered that Bahlil lived in the Fakfak area, which is indeed located by the beach. Prabowo then praised the mother who raised Bahlil, for feeding her child with fish dishes.
“So smart.” And even though it was brief, I saw and witnessed how he operates. “How he became not only a successful minister, frankly speaking, I consider him successful as a minister, and besides being successful, his operations are also extraordinary,” Prabowo emphasized.
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