Jakarta — Retired Sergeant (Serka Purn) Asmujiono expressed his profound gratitude by performing sujud syukur (a prostration of thankfulness) as he watched Prabowo Subianto’s inauguration as President of Indonesia on television. This gesture reflected Asmujiono’s pride in Prabowo, who had been his superior officer during their time in the Special Forces Command (Kopassus).

“Yesterday, I prostrated in gratitude as I watched Prabowo’s inauguration. I know his struggles and his deep sense of nationalism from when he was young,” Asmujiono shared when interviewed at his home on Monday (Oct. 21), as quoted by Kompas.

Asmujiono recalled that when he first sought to join Kopassus, Prabowo initially rejected him. At that time, Prabowo was serving as Commander of the Special Forces Education and Training Center (Danpusdiklatpassus).

Despite Asmujiono’s strong physical and behavioral test scores, he didn’t meet the height requirement of 168 cm. His height was only 165 cm.

However, Colonel Suhartono Suratman at the time requested Prabowo to reconsider. “After five appeals, Prabowo finally relented and allowed me to join Kopassus,” Asmujiono explained. He made the most of this opportunity, participating in numerous operations, including in East Timor and Aceh.

“After each operation, soldiers would usually get leave, but I wasn’t allowed. I was selected by the late Commander Doni Monardo to join the Code Tracking course,” he recounted.

Personal Support for Nutrition

Asmujiono further shared that his close relationship with Prabowo continued even after his retirement from the military in 2011. Prabowo provided him with a personal stipend to support his children’s nutrition. “Prabowo told me that the stipend was to help buy milk for my children. Because I’m short, and my wife is also short, he said to give the kids plenty of milk so they don’t grow up short. I’ve received Rp 5 million every month since then, and it continues to this day,” he revealed in a February interview.

Thanks to the nutritious milk and food provided by Prabowo’s stipend, Asmujiono proudly noted that his children have grown up healthy. His eldest son even entered the Military Academy in Magelang, standing at an impressive 185 cm tall. “I’ve proven that proper nutrition and milk consumption are excellent for children’s growth,” he remarked.

Prabowo’s Character

In Asmujiono’s eyes, Prabowo is a decisive leader, but behind that firmness lies intelligence, loyalty, nationalism, and strong commitment.

“The current Merah Putih Cabinet reflects Prabowo’s spirit. I know this because I am a living witness to his leadership,” he emphasized. “When it comes to commitment, I am confident that Prabowo will be strict with ministers whose vision does not align with his or that of the nation.”

A Soldier Prabowo Is Proud Of

During his tenure as Minister of Defense, President Prabowo Subianto once reminisced about his time as Commander of Kopassus. One of the figures who stood out in his memory was Asmujiono. Prabowo recounted how Asmujiono almost didn’t make it into Kopassus due to his height but was eventually accepted after Prabowo granted a special exception.

“His name is Asmujiono. He almost didn’t get into Kopassus because he was only 165 cm tall, while the requirement was 170 cm at the time. But he was incredibly strong, so I made an exception,” Prabowo recalled during a commencement speech at Pancasila University, Jakarta, as quoted on the university’s YouTube channel on Tuesday (June 7, 2022).

This decision to accept Asmujiono into Kopassus proved to be a wise one. In 1996, Prabowo organized the Merah Putih Expedition to conquer the summit of Mount Everest. Among the expedition members was none other than Asmujiono, who had initially struggled to enter Kopassus.

Unexpectedly, Asmujiono became the first Indonesian to successfully raise the Merah Putih flag at the top of the world’s highest mountain. His achievement remains etched in Prabowo’s memory.

“He was the one who raised the Merah Putih on top of Everest. This proves that we can compete with other nations if we have the will,” Prabowo concluded. (RR)