Prabowo Praises Democratic Party's 'Mature' Political Stance

President Prabowo Subianto praised the political maturity of the Democratic Party, led by Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY). He noted that the party, along with its High Council Chairman and former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), had experienced both highs and lows in their democratic journey, including election losses. "There were times at the peak, times not at the peak, times in government, times not. But when they were not in power, the Democratic Party did not criticize. The Democratic Party did not cause trouble," Prabowo stated in his speech at the 25th Anniversary of the Democratic Party in Jakarta on Wednesday (9/9). Prabowo emphasized that winning and losing are logical consequences in a democracy, which inherently involves competition and criticism. However, he stressed the importance of maintaining friendly relations behind all interactions. "When I lost four times, I accepted it. Okay, let's move forward again," he said. He also highlighted that Indonesia, as a great nation, requires 'gotong royong' (mutual cooperation) for its development. Prabowo reminisced about his youth in the 1970s when he studied at the Military Academy with SBY, describing him as a brilliant cadet and one of the nation's finest. "Indeed, from the beginning, it was clear that Mr. SBY was the best cadet. But Prabowo Subianto was a cadet who could be improved," he remarked, drawing laughter from the audience.