MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Indonesia commemorates National Awakening Day on May 20, 2024. Haedar Nashir, President of Muhammadiyah emphasizes that, although the commemoration is often associated with the establishment of Boedi Oetomo in 1908, the national awakening movement that sparked the spirit of nationalism for an independent Indonesia was a collective effort. People from various backgrounds and ethnicities joined forces to fight for freedom.
On this National Awakening Day, Haedar hoped that Indonesia’s current sovereignty can be achieved through various strategic and practical policies that are consistent with the life of the nation and state of Indonesia in the real world.
Citing Mohammad Hatta, Haedar mentioned that true independence requires not just political freedom from colonial rule, but also economic independence. In other words, Indonesia shouldn’t be controlled by other countries economically.
“To achieve this, Indonesia needs to manage its own natural resources responsibly for the benefit of all its people, ensuring that wealth stays within the country and contributes to justice, prosperity, and progress,” said Haedar on Monday (May 20).
Meanwhile, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia, who has now been elected President of the Republic of Indonesia through the 2024 General Election, Prabowo Subianto has long paid attention to Indonesia’s sovereignty. In his book “Paradoks Indonesia dan Solusinya” (Indonesia’s Paradox and Its Solution) (2022), Prabowo said, “Indonesia’s biggest economic issue right now is that a lot of the country’s wealth is flowing out of Indonesia.” Because of his commitment and consistency to Indonesia’s sovereignty, Prabowo Subianto was awarded the 2023 Detikcom Awards as a “Figure of Upholding State Sovereignty”.
“We place great hope that the newly elected government will will genuinely strive to materialize Indonesia’s sovereignty in tangible terms, while simultaneously fulfilling all aspects of Indonesia’s national goals as a sacred and paramount mandate of high statesmanship,” said Haedar.
Haedar underscored the fundamental obligation of each government administration throughout history to uphold Indonesia’s sovereignty in a unified mission to carry out policies and govern from the central to local levels, as mandated by the 1945 Constitution: “to protect the whole Indonesian nation and the entire native land of Indonesia and to advance the public welfare, to educate the life of the nation, and to participate in the execution of world order
which is by virtue of freedom, perpetual peace and social justice.”
These fundamental principles, Haedar emphasized, should be internalized and manifested in the national and state life of all Indonesian citizens, elites, and government officials.
Haedar asserted that “Indonesia’s sovereignty should be safeguarded and upheld as a fully sovereign nation free from any form of systematic weakening of national and state sovereignty by foreign or domestic actors.”
While acknowledging the need for economic relations and investments with appropriate policies, Haedar cautions against compromising Indonesia’s sovereignty in any form. He stresses that such engagements should demonstrably contribute to the justice and prosperity of all Indonesians.
Haedar warned against powerful foreign entities or corporations who may try to manipulate Indonesia’s government or exploit its natural resources for their own gain. “Indonesia’s sovereignty, hard-won by the sacrifices of countless patriots, must be protected. The country’s natural resources are a national treasure that should be managed responsibly for the benefit of all Indonesians, not squandered by outside interests,” said Haedar.
Expressing his unwavering belief in the existence of numerous committed elites in the country, Haedar emphasized the need to accumulate collective awareness and implement a state system that significantly leads to the real-world sovereignty of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
“May the message of the nation’s founders and leaders about the importance of Indonesia’s sovereignty will truly be embraced by all stakeholders. This includes government institutions at all levels, along with the country’s elites and citizens. Working together, they can ensure that Indonesia becomes a nation that is truly sovereign and free from external manipulation, exploitation, and depletion of its resources. Ultimately, the goal is for Indonesia to be a strong and independent nation,” said Haedar.
