Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto says that foreign parties are funding non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in order to pit people against each other in Indonesia.
"With money, they fund NGOs to play us off against each other", said Prabowo during a speech marking the birthday of the state ideology Pancasila at the Pancasila Building at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office complex in Central Jakarta on Monday June 2.
During the ceremony attended by ministers and state officials, Prabowo said he believes that foreign parties only claim to be the most democratic parties. "They say they are the upholders of democracy, human rights, press freedom, when in fact that is their own version", Prabowo said.
He said foreigners have come to the Indonesian archipelago for hundreds of years and have been sowing discord to this day.
"Sisters and brothers, I am not inviting the Indonesian people to be suspicious of foreign nations. [But] we must not be toyed with by any nation. We remember the words of the proclaimer [of Indonesian independence], we the Indonesian people must stand on our own feet", said Prabowo.
He said Indonesia must be strong amidst the current global challenges. He invited all parties to unite. "Differences should not be a source of conflict. That is what foreign nations always hope for, foreign powers that don't like Indonesia being strong, don't like Indonesia being rich", Prabowo said.
We'll remove those who are disloyal to the state
Prabowo also stated that he would not hesitate to remove people who he considers are disloyal to the Indonesian nation and state because they have broken the law and that he would not discriminate in eliminating these people, regardless of their political party, family and ethnic origins.
"We will eliminate those who are disloyal to the state without hesitation, without discrimination, without looking at whose family they are, which [political] party, which tribe", said Prabowo on Monday.
"We will take action against those who are disloyal to the state, who violate the law, who violate the Constitution", Prabowo asserted.
Prabowo said that Indonesia actually has enormous wealth, but there are still many who steal the ordinary people's money. Therefore, he emphasised that there should be no parties who think they can play with, lie to and deceive the Indonesian nation and state.
He also stressed that he would not hesitate to take action against these people and that the state has the power to do so. "On behalf of the Indonesian people, I warn all elements in all institutions, immediately reform yourselves, immediately clean yourselves up, because the state will act, our state is strong", said Prabowo.
Prabowo said he is convinced that corruption and fraud will disappear if every element in a country can be united and compact.
"I believe and I am sure that at this time, when the Indonesian nation is in the midst of global challenges, our strength can only come if we are united. We can only be strong if our country is free from abuse, corruption, manipulation and fraud", he said.
[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski based on two articles by Kompas.com on June 2. The original title of the lead article was "Prabowo: Pihak Asing Biayai LSM untuk Adu Domba Kita".]
– Fika Nurul Ulya, Rahel Narda Chaterine, Ardito Ramadhan and Danu Damarjati