Bangkok — A heartwarming moment unfolded in Bangkok as two young children of the Indonesian diaspora welcomed President Joko Widodo with flowers and a sincere wish: that education in Indonesia will continue to improve.
President Prabowo Subianto arrived at his hotel in the Thai capital at 10:37 p.m. local time on Saturday (May 17). He was greeted enthusiastically by dozens of Indonesians living in Thailand, including students and staff of the Indonesian Embassy, who had gathered to welcome him late into the night.
“Good evening, welcome, Mr. President!” they cheered in unison.
Among the crowd were Fairuz and Yusuf, two confident—though slightly nervous—elementary school students. Dressed in traditional attire from East Nusa Tenggara, they stepped forward and presented a bouquet of pale blue and white flowers they had prepared the day before.
“I’m excited, but a bit nervous—I was worried I might mess up,” Fairuz admitted.
“I’m really nervous. I still feel nervous even now,” added Yusuf.
Despite their jitters, the two children carried a heartfelt message from abroad. They conveyed their hopes and prayers directly to the President, expressing a deep longing for a more equitable and advanced education system in their homeland.
“We wish Mr. President good health, a long life, and we hope that education in Indonesia will get even better,” said Fairuz and Yusuf in unison.