Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto delivered his first state address in an overseas legislature since being inaugurated as President of the Republic of Indonesia. This inaugural speech was delivered before the chairman and members of parliament in the Plenary Room, Turkiye Parliament Building, Ankara, on Thursday (10/4).
‘It is a great honour for me to stand before you all today in this historic room, the heart of Turkish democracy, to extend warm greetings from the 280 million people of Indonesia, your brothers and sisters in the world's largest Muslim country,’ President Prabowo began his speech.
In his speech, President Prabowo said that his visit to Turkey was not just a state agenda, but also had a deep personal meaning. He emphasised that the relationship between Indonesia and Turkey was not only diplomatic, but also rooted in a long history of solidarity.
‘Turkey has a special place in the hearts of the Indonesian people. For the Indonesian people, Turkey is the largest Muslim civilisation. For Muslims in Indonesia, for us Turkey is the successor to the Ottoman civilisation,’ said the President.
In the past, the President said that the Ottoman Empire's support for Indonesian sultans and fighters in the fight against Western imperialism was enormous. Traces of Ottoman assistance ranging from weapons to advisors, he said, are still remembered by the Indonesian people.
‘I went to Sumatra, I went to Aceh, I went to Deli Serdang, they remember, they told me that their grandfathers were trained and assisted by officers and soldiers from the Ottoman Empire. To this day, Indonesians still tell this story,’ said the President.
In his speech, President Prabowo also appreciated Turkey's firm stance in defending oppressed nations, especially the Palestinian people. According to him, many countries talk about democracy and human rights, but turn a blind eye when attacks continue.
‘When children are bombed, innocent mothers are bombed, the people of Gaza lose all their lives, many countries remain silent, pretending not to know and pretending that it is not a violation of human rights. Turkey has a firm stance. Therefore, we feel like standing with Turkey to defend justice and truth in today's uncertain world,’ he said.
For this reason, President Prabowo called for closer cooperation between Indonesia and Turkey in order to build a just and prosperous civilisation. The Head of State believes that with this togetherness, the voices of these countries will be better heard by the whole world.
‘Our civilisation requires a struggle to achieve the right of all nations to live well, live safely, live peacefully without oppression by anyone,’ he said.