Speaking at the 2026 National Coordination Meeting of central and regional governments in Bogor, West Java, on Monday, Prabowo said some local administrations had allowed historic sites to be dismantled or repurposed without regard for their national significance.
“Sometimes we fail to respect our own history. Historical sites are torn down. This is something regional leaders must seriously consider,” Prabowo told the gathering at the Sentul International Convention Center.
He said Indonesia’s long historical experience — from colonial rule and foreign intervention to the struggle for independence — must be fully understood by regional leaders entrusted with governing today.
Such understanding, Prabowo said, was essential to prevent the repetition of past mistakes in modern governance and to ensure policy decisions reflect lessons learned from earlier national struggles.
The president highlighted continued cases of neglect involving historical relics, including the demolition of inscriptions and sites that should be preserved under state protection.
He said the loss of such sites reflected a broader failure to honour the memory of those who fought for Indonesia’s freedom and identity.
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“I ask, where is the RRI station used by Bung Tomo during the November 10 battle? Does it still exist? Where are the Majapahit sites? I hear some have become factories,” Prabowo said.
He stressed that Indonesia’s current government exists because of sacrifices made by earlier generations, making respect for history integral to preserving national continuity and unity.
“We are here today through a long struggle and through the leadership of presidents and governments that came before us,” Prabowo said, calling for greater historical awareness among officials.
The 2026 National Coordination Meeting of central and regional governments is a key platform to align national and regional policies under a unified development framework.
The meeting was attended by about 4,400 participants from across Indonesia, including ministers, governors, regents, mayors, regional assembly leaders and members of local leadership coordination forums.
The forum aims to strengthen policy coordination between central and regional authorities while aligning national development programs with local priorities and conditions.
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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