Jakarta — President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, paid his respects at the funeral of Indonesian pencak silat figure, the late Major General (Ret.) Eddie Marzuki Nalapraya, at the Pencak Silat Training Center, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), East Jakarta, on Tuesday (May 13).

President Prabowo arrived at 3:45 p.m. wearing a brown safari suit and a black peci cap. He immediately greeted the late Eddie’s family, approached the casket, and rendered a solemn salute. He then embraced the family members and kissed the grandchildren of the deceased in a heartfelt gesture.

“On behalf of the government, the entire Indonesian and global pencak silat community, and personally, I wish to express my deepest condolences for the passing of Major General (Ret.) Eddie Marzuki Nalapraya,” said Prabowo.

Prabowo described the late Eddie Nalapraya as a national independence fighter and a former Chairman of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI), who played a crucial role in nurturing and preserving pencak silat as a proud cultural heritage.

“He was a true leader and patriot. I’m certain that even in his final moments, his thoughts were with our beloved homeland,” Prabowo stated.

According to Prabowo, pencak silat is not merely a sport or martial art, but a vital part of national character building and the spirit of patriotism.

“I have known him since the 1980s. He was deeply dedicated and had a major role in the development of pencak silat in Indonesia,” said Prabowo.

He emphasized that history has shown that nations weak in spirit, body, and willpower are doomed to fail. Amid today’s challenges, Prabowo praised Eddie as a tireless advocate of pencak silat both at home and on the international stage.

“When people are asked who the IPSI Chairman is, the answer will always be: Eddie Nalapraya. And me? I’m merely his successor,” Prabowo said in a moment of reflection.

In recognition of his lifetime achievements, Eddie Nalapraya was awarded the Bintang Mahaputera, one of the nation’s highest honors.

Concluding his remarks, President Prabowo offered prayers for the late Eddie Nalapraya to be welcomed by God Almighty.

“We bid him farewell. Once again, we have lost a warrior who gave his all for this nation,” Prabowo said.

“Farewell, Mr. Eddie. Go now to the Supreme Commander, Allah SWT, Lord of the Universe. To Him alone we pray, to Him we seek help, and to Him we shall all return,” Prabowo closed.