"You are servants of the people. You must defend the interests of the people. You must protect their interests," he emphasized during the inauguration ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.
Prabowo affirmed that regional heads are servants of the people and must dedicate themselves to improving the lives of their constituents, viewing it as one of their key responsibilities.
Acknowledging that regional heads come from different parties, religions, and ethnic groups, he emphasized that they are still part of the larger Indonesian family.
"We were born into the great Nusantara family, the great family of the Republic of Indonesia. We are different, but we are one," Prabowo stated.
He then referred to the agenda of the regional heads' retreat held by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Magelang, Central Java, expressing hope that all regional heads would remain strong in fulfilling their duties.
Prabowo also encouraged regional heads who felt any hesitation or uncertainty about their ability to fulfill their duties to step down.
"Those who are hesitant may withdraw," he emphasized.
The president noted the historical significance of the simultaneous inauguration of 961 elected regional heads from 481 regions.
"I think this is a historic moment. For the first time in our country, 33 governors, 33 deputy governors, 363 district heads, 362 deputy district heads, 85 mayors, and 85 deputy mayors were inaugurated," he stated.
Prabowo also stressed the need for collaboration between the central and regional governments to achieve equitable and sustainable development.
He expressed hope that regional governments would operate with integrity and prioritize the people's interests.
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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