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Jakarta Post

Work, work, work to restore maritime power

We have just sworn our oath, which has deep spiritual significance, stating our commitment to work hard to achieve our common goals as a great nation

Joko Widodo (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, October 21, 2014

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Work, work, work to restore maritime power

W

e have just sworn our oath, which has deep spiritual significance, stating our commitment to work hard to achieve our common goals as a great nation.

Now is the time to unite our hearts and join hands. Now is the time for us together to continue with the next great historical test, which is to build and realize an Indonesia that is politically sovereign, economically independent and with our own cultural identity.

I am sure this huge historical undertaking can be carried out together under the spirit of unity, gotong-royong [mutual assistance] and hard work. Unity and gotong-royong are preconditions of becoming a great nation. We will never be great if we are caught in divisions and infighting. And we will never be truly independent without hard work.

The government that I lead will work to ensure that every single person in every corner of the land feels the presence of government services. I am appealing to all state institutions to work with the same spirit in carrying out their respective duties and functions. I believe the state will be stronger and respected if every institution works to shoulder the mandate entrusted in it by the Constitution.

To fishermen, laborers, farmers, bakso [meatball] sellers, street traders, drivers, scholars, teachers, members of the Indonesian Military and the National Police, entrepreneurs and professionals, I appeal to you to work hard, shoulder-to-shoulder, in the spirit of gotong royong.

This is the point in history for all of us to move in unison to work, work and work.

We also want to stand among other nations with pride, with dignity and with respect. We want to be a nation that can dictate the progress of its own civilization. A great nation that is creative can take part in making noble contributions to global civilization.

We have to work as hard as we can to restore Indonesia as a maritime power. The oceans, the seas, the straits and the bays are the future of our civilization. For far too long, we have turned our backs on the seas, the oceans, the straits and the bays.

Now is the time to restore Jalesveva Jayamahe [At sea we are victorious], the motto of our forefathers. We should return back to sailing the seas.

The hard work of building the nation cannot be the carried out only by the President, the Vice President and the government that I lead. It needs the strong collective support of a united nation.

The next five years will be the period during which we will stake out our place as an independent nation. That'€™s why work, work and work is important.

I believe that through hard work and gotong-royong, we will be able to protect every Indonesian person and every inch of our land, to improve the general welfare, to enlighten the life of the nation and to participate in ensuring international order based on independence, eternal peace and social justice.

On behalf of the people and the government of Indonesia, I thank and express my highest appreciation to our honored guests, the heads of state and government and special envoys from friendly countries.

I wish to stress, that under my government, Indonesia as the third-largest democracy in the world, as the country with the largest Muslim population, as an archipelagic state, and as the largest country in Southeast Asia, will continue to pursue its independent-active foreign policy, dedicated to national interests, and to taking part in creating an international order that respects independence, eternal peace and social justice.

At this historic opportunity, allow me, on my own behalf, on behalf of Vice President Jusuf Kalla, and on behalf of the Indonesian people, to convey our thanks and appreciation to Bapak Prof. Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Bapak Prof. Dr. Boediono, who have led the government for the last five years.

In concluding this speech, I want all of my fellow countrymen and women and people of this land to remember one thing that Bung Karno, the Republic of Indonesia'€™s first president, once said, that to make Indonesia a great, strong, prosperous and peaceful nation, we need to have the spirit of the cakrawarti [brave sailors], who confronted the great tides and the mighty rolling waves.

As the captain entrusted by the people, I appeal to all citizens to come on board the Republic of Indonesia vessel and together we will sail toward Great Indonesia. We will roll open the stout sails. We will face all the ocean tides and waves with our own strength. I will stand under the will of the people and the Constitution. May God Almighty always bless our common endeavors.

Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

_______________

This is an unofficial translation of the inauguration speech, entitled '€œUnder the Will of the People and the Constitution'€ by President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo shortly after taking his oath of office on Oct. 20.

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