‘To uphold religious tolerance, it is very wise that an adherent of a religion should not do something forbidden in another religion in front of the adherent of the latter.’
– Suharto, ex-Indonesian president
At the outset, let me make this declaration. Yes, I am impressed with new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s leadership style just as I was with his predecessor, Jokowi Widodo.
Initially, I didn’t think much of Prabowo, assuming that an army general would be dictatorial as a political leader. Indonesians had gone through some bitter experiences with Sukarno and Suharto, two former presidents who were ex-generals.
Though it’s still early days in the Prabowo presidency, I remain hopeful that the new president will play the role of leading the people of Indonesia towards greater economic progress and prosperity, instead of an army going to war.
From what I’ve noticed so far, I think that Prabowo has adopted elements of Jokowi’s leadership style during his presidential campaign and subsequent presidency.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Prabowo emphasised continuity with Jokowi’s policies, including support for national strategic projects like the Nusantara Capital City.
He also adopted grassroots engagement strategies similar to Jokowi’s, as a “leader of the people” and was seen distributing food and milk to students and conducting public visits to traditional markets.
This alignment with Jokowi’s leadership style contributed to Prabowo’s electoral success, as he garnered support from voters seeking stability and continuity.
One positive thing stood out over the Christmas period about Prabowo’s leadership and that is the new president places great emphasis on unity, harmony and tolerance among Indonesia’s multi-cultural and multi-religious citizenry.
There was a viral video of the president speaking at the 2024 National Christmas Celebration in Jakarta on Dec 28. It entered my inbox several times and I have viewed the celebrations of the Indonesians with much joy and listened to Prabowo’s speech with appreciation and gratitude for his Christmas message of peace, unity and tolerance.
In his speech which was well covered in the Indonesian media, the president emphasised the importance of celebrating the diversity of the Indonesian nation as a strength for living in harmony and building shared ideals.
“We celebrate Christmas as part of our lives, as part of our identity – that Indonesia is a diverse nation, a nation full of differences, a nation that is diverse but has one soul, one will, one desire to live in harmony, to live as one big family to achieve shared ideals and goals,” he said.
Prabowo conveyed Christmas greetings to people who joined the event via video conferencing from North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara and Papua.
“Merry Christmas from me and your brothers and sisters in Jakarta,” he said.
In his speech, Prabowo also discussed his family background, which reflects the values of Pancasila – the five principles that guide the country’s national ideology, politics, and social life. He said that his mother being a Christian has strengthened the spirit of tolerance and diversity in his life.
“Many of my family are Christians. I was also born from a Christian mother, so maybe it can be said that I am myself is proof of the Pancasila family,” Prabowo added. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.
He then lauded the harmony of the nation that was reflected in the Christmas celebration.
Prabowo emphasised that peace and unity are the great values of the Indonesian nation, which must continue to be maintained and cared for.
Here was a Muslim leader of the world’s most populous Muslim country exhorting his fellow citizens to join Christians in the country to celebrate Christmas to promote unity and tolerance.
Then, there was another video of Muslim women and children praying and wearing the famous red and white Santa hat. For the Indonesians, it was fine to join in the celebration over the Yuletide season.
I have to declare here today: I love Indonesia and I love Indonesians. I hope to plan a Christmas holiday in Indonesia next.
I’m glad to learn that Indonesia is often celebrated as a beacon of religious tolerance due to its diverse population and the coexistence of various faiths.
According to Wikipedia, the state officially recognises six religions, allowing freedom of worship. Government and community programmes promote dialogue and mutual respect among different religious groups.
Many traditional practices blend elements of different faiths, fostering a sense of shared heritage.
In Indonesia, national holidays honour major religious events across faiths, such as Eid al-Fitr, Christmas, Nyepi (Balinese Hindu New Year), and Vesak Day (Buddhist).
While challenges exist, such as instances of communal tension and disparities in minority rights, Indonesia’s commitment to maintaining religious harmony remains a source of inspiration globally.
I believe that Indonesia is now shining like a beacon of unity and tolerance thanks largely to the efforts of Jokowi and now, Prabowo. Indonesia is blessed to have such wise and caring leaders.
As for Malaysia, the Christmas carolling fiasco at the Housing and Local Government Ministry in Putrajaya is one incident I wish to forget as we celebrate the dawn of the new year, 2025, today.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune.
