Solo — President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, delivered a powerful reflection on the essence of leadership, emphasizing that a true leader must possess a heart as vast as the ocean—willing to endure insults, pain, even slander, while continuing to provide clarity, calm, and solutions to the people.
“A leader must be like the ocean,” Prabowo said at the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Congress on Sunday (July 20). “The filth of the earth flows into the sea—but what emerges is still clean water. A leader must be ready to be insulted, attacked, framed. But what they offer must always remain pure.”
The message came as part of Prabowo’s broader presentation on eight ancestral virtues of leadership derived from Indonesia’s traditional philosophical heritage. The first of these, Pindo Jaladri, calls on leaders to emulate the ocean: vast, patient, and capable of absorbing intense public pressure without losing clarity or purpose.
“A leader must be Pindo Jaladri—like the ocean. A wide, calm heart,” he said.
Prabowo’s remarks served both as a moral call to action for the next generation of leaders and as a reflection of his own experience navigating Indonesia’s volatile political landscape.
He underscored that leadership is not about power, but about resilience, composure, and moral courage, especially in an era shaped by digital media and public scrutiny.
“A leader is a teacher. A companion in struggle. A protector. A guardian,” he affirmed.
Prabowo’s message was aimed particularly at young PSI members in attendance, urging them to become a new kind of political leader—one who does not react impulsively to insult, but stands firm in principle and guides others through dignity, wisdom, and moral clarity.
