MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, KUPANG – General Secretary of Muhammadiyah Abdul Mu’ti highlighted that Muhammadiyah aspires to see Indonesia achieve the same level of prosperity as global superpowers like the United States (US) and China.
The US, China, and India were predicted to be the world’s future superpowers. However, India is no longer considered part of this prediction.
Currently, the United States and China are among the world’s most populous and economically advanced countries. In fact, China has become a global power with significant influence, recognized by many nations around the world.
Referring to the concept of civilization (al-Umran) by Ibn Khaldun, Mu’ti suggests that Indonesia has similar potential to be on the same level as the world’s great nations.
This potential includes its large population, vast natural resources, significant social capital, and strong spiritual values as a nation.
“All of these factors, in my opinion, can form a strategy to bring prosperity for all,” said Mu’ti at the fifth Plenary Session of the Tanwir National Meeting and the 112 Anniversary of Muhammadiyah at Universitas Muhammadiyah Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on Thursday, December 5.
He added that these resources can be harnessed through political and cultural strategies, with education playing a key role in the cultural strategy.
Looking at developed countries today, Mu’ti pointed out that these are nations with advanced education systems. One such example is Singapore.
“The prosperity of Singaporeans is several times greater than ours, with a gross domestic product (GDP) more than ten times higher,” said Mu’ti.
In addition to Singapore, Finland, known for its strong welfare state, has an advanced education system. The high-quality education system has helped the country become prosperous and strong.