Jakarta — President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) offered praise to Defense Minister and President-elect Prabowo Subianto during the 79th anniversary celebration of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) at Monas, Jakarta, on Saturday (October 5).
During the event, Jokowi expressed his gratitude to Prabowo, acknowledging his efforts in strengthening Indonesia’s defense capabilities, notably through diplomatic channels.
“I would like to extend my thanks to Defense Minister, General (Ret.) Prabowo Subianto, who is also the president-elect, for enhancing Indonesia’s defense strength in facing various challenges,” Jokowi stated.
“From modernizing defense equipment (alutsista), promoting the domestic defense industry, to reinforcing defense diplomacy on the global stage, and much more,” he added.
Jokowi highlighted the importance of defense diplomacy, particularly in light of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. He emphasized that dialogue is the only path to resolving such disputes.
“If every country took a soft approach through dialogue, meetings, and good communication, I believe the tragedies in Palestine, Gaza, and Lebanon could have been avoided. Dialogue is indeed the only way to resolve conflicts,” Jokowi said after leading the TNI anniversary ceremony.
“These conflicts must be resolved at the negotiating table, and everyone must restrain from escalating the situation further,” he asserted. (RR)
