Speaking at the final round of the presidential debate here on Sunday, Prabowo promised he would not hesitate to take action and intervene in favor of cultural preservation.
"I am not adhering to neo-liberalism. The government is not merely the regulator; the government is the pioneer and, if needed, intervenes to work and help the people. The government should also be on the front lines of maintaining and preserving all our cultural aspects," he expounded.
Prabowo's statement was conveyed in response to the debate question concerning the commercialization of culture and the destructive process against the growth of responsive culture. The culture will grow in a responsive community, which means every person is free to express themselves.
He also emphasized that culture is the nation's character and identity, and it should be preserved and maintained.
"Our culture is very important. Our culture is the nation's character. Without our commitment to be proud, respect, and preserve our culture, we will lose our nation's identity. We need to assist and protect all those aspects," the presidential candidate stated.
Meanwhile, Prabowo explained that he and his running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka proposed an endowment fund for culture to help cultural actors if they are elected.
"We propose an endowment fund for culture to encourage and support cultural actors active in all aspects. It is absolute for us, for it is our culture. For instance, pencak silat and martial arts are the legacy inherited by our ancestors," he noted.
The presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs participated in five televised debate rounds before election day on February 14. The first two debates took place on December 12 and 22, 2023, and the next two rounds took place on January 7 and 21, 2024.
In the final debate round on Sunday, presidential candidates debated about education, health, manpower, culture, information technology, social welfare, and inclusivity.
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Translator: Genta Tenri M, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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