"No matter how great an idea is, without courage, it will be difficult for us to make it happen," MPR Speaker Bambang Soesatyo stated in Jakarta on Friday.
Soesatyo made the statement at the opening ceremony of the "Alumni Connect of Overseas Indonesian Students Association (PPI Dunia)" that was also attended by Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin and the alumni.
Soesatyo also expressed hope that educated Indonesians would be able to make the most of all the potential that Indonesia has and prevent foreign domination of what is owned by the country.
"We must know that the world's need for nickel, coal, and all other natural products, most of which are in our homeland," Soesatyo pointed out.
Soesatyo affirmed that Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world and has abundant marine resources as oceans constitute two-thirds of its area.
The MPR speaker elaborated that Indonesia ranked first in terms of its nickel content in the world, came second for its coal content, positioned sixth for its gold content, and ranked 13th for its gas and oil content in the world.
"This is the responsibility of all of us to protect the integrity of our nation, so that not even an inch of land will later be released into foreign hands," Soesatyo emphasized.
On the same occasion, PPI Dunia Coordinator Achyar Al Rasyid remarked that educated people have the social capital to form a sustainable ecosystem between alumni and students.
"(This is) so that a path of regeneration is formed that is connected in terms of ideas and concepts as well as between potentials for the progress of the Indonesian nation," Achyar affirmed.
PPI Dunia was founded in 2007, and, now there have been 62 PPI branches around the world, and 120 thousand Indonesian students abroad.
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Reporter: Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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