“We all know from his many speeches that President Prabowo’s respect for and commitment to the Constitution is clear and unequivocal,” Pratikno said, delivering the president’s remarks in his absence.
According to Pratikno, this commitment is evident in the president’s public addresses and the government’s current and planned programs, developed in coordination with the House of Representatives (DPR).
“On numerous occasions, the President has emphasized the importance of revisiting the meaning of the 1945 Constitution and implementing it consistently for the nation’s future,” he added.
Pratikno also noted that President Prabowo strongly rejects claims by some political elites that the ideas of Indonesia’s founding fathers -- such as Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta -- are outdated. He referred to the president’s recent state address on August 15.
“President Prabowo believes that such views are misguided. Sukarno, Hatta, and other leaders of the 1945 generation were the architects of Indonesia’s independence and the framers of the Constitution,” Pratikno said.
The president, he continued, has also studied Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution in depth, viewing it as a pillar of national economic sovereignty. The article mandates that strategic sectors and resources vital to the public interest must be controlled by the state.
“I will read the President’s own words: ‘The strength of a nation lies in how it controls and manages its wealth. Therefore, we must have the courage to correct any missteps we have made,’” Pratikno quoted.
He added that President Prabowo’s commitment is reflected in concrete policies, including the reallocation of more than Rp300 trillion from the state budget (APBN) to productive sectors such as food self-sufficiency, community-based schools (Sekolah Rakyat), Garuda Excellence Schools, free health check-ups, and expanded social assistance programs.
“These are not merely programs. They are constitutional mandates -- realizations of the ideals of independence: freedom from colonialism, from oppression, and from ignorance,” Pratikno said.
He concluded by delivering the president’s message that Indonesia’s economy must be rooted in the principles of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, emphasizing the importance of protecting the weak and rejecting the sale of national resources at low prices to foreign interests.
“President Prabowo firmly believes that the 1945 Constitution is our compass. Pancasila is our guiding star. Our founding fathers and the proclamators of independence are our role models. And the people of Indonesia are our greatest source of strength,” he said.
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Translator: Melalusa, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Primayanti
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