President Prabowo's 'Confession' at PKB Congress: From Exhaustion to Enthusiasm

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto admitted that he initially hesitated to attend the peak celebration of the National Awakening Party's (PKB) anniversary (Harlah) held at the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC) on Wednesday (23/7/2026) due to exhaustion. Speaking at the event, President Prabowo stated that his packed schedule had made him feel burdened by the prospect of attending another party event. "To be honest, I was tired. Oh, another PKB event. But it's my duty," he said. However, upon arriving at the venue, his fatigue transformed upon feeling the energy from the warm welcome by PKB cadres. "But when I arrived, I felt a different energy," President Prabowo remarked, particularly appreciating the drum band performance that greeted him. He noted that the song played, "Maju Tak Gentar" (The Unwavering Advance), had indeed boosted the event's spirit. President Prabowo humorously suggested that PKB Chairman Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar, also known as Gus Imin, understood how to welcome him as a retired general. "Gus Imin truly studied. He asked around, 'Oh, retired General Prabowo can be welcomed with 'klenengan' (traditional music).' No, no, let's welcome him with a drum band to boost morale," he said. He also highlighted the PKB party anthem played upon his entry, urging attendees to study its lyrics carefully. "When entering here, they played the PKB anthem. The PKB anthem, be careful to study it. Who composed that song? I always observe these things when attending anniversary events," he stated. President Prabowo also expressed his gratitude to PKB for providing him with recommendations from the Ulama Conference (Ijtima Ulama). "After that, I was given recommendations from the Ulama Conference. PKB is great. Thank you," he concluded.