The Indonesian president made these remarks during his address at Singapore’s Parliament House on Monday, as part of his state visit and the inaugural Leaders’ Retreat between Indonesia and Singapore.
“I was deeply touched to be given the honor of naming a unique orchid,” he said, as quoted from a Presidential Secretariat channel.
Delivering his speech in front of Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and senior officials from both countries, President Prabowo described the orchid naming as a deeply personal tribute and a significant honor for his mother.
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“I was given the honor of proposing the name (for the orchid), and I chose my mother’s name as a tribute to her role in raising me — perhaps a rather difficult child in his early years, but who eventually became president of Indonesia,” he stated.
The orchid-naming ceremony is part of Singapore’s well-known tradition of "Orchid Diplomacy," in which special orchid hybrids are named in honor of state guests visiting the island country.
President Prabowo’s mother, Dora Marie Sigar, was of Minahasan and German descent and was recognized for her active roles in education, social work, and politics.
She studied in the Netherlands and became a post-surgical specialist nurse, where she met her future husband, economist Sumitro Djojohadikusumo.
A disciplined mother, Dora raised her children in a multicultural and multifaith household, embodying the values of Pancasila, Indonesia's foundational ideology. She passed away on December 23, 2008, at the age of 87.
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Translator: Andi, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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