Contemporary Heroism: The Resilience of the Nation and the Energy of National Resilience

Meanwhile, Bank Indonesia noted an inflation rate of 3.23 percent year-on-year for October 2026, with volatile food inflation at 5.81 percent. This situation needs to be anticipated as it affects the purchasing power of the people.

In the energy sector, President Prabowo discussed strengthening national energy resilience at a limited meeting at the Palace (November 3, 2026), including the development of E20 bioethanol.

All these events indicate that the struggle today is no longer merely about defending territorial sovereignty, but also about ensuring the state’s presence in protecting life, enhancing welfare, preserving the environment, and securing the future for upcoming generations.

In this context, various development agendas and the essence of 'Asta Cita' championed by President Prabowo need to be interpreted as an effort to refocus development on the interests of the people.

Ultimately, sovereignty should not only be understood as the state’s power over its territory, but should also be reflected in a national life that positions the people as the true holders of sovereignty.

The state must not just build for the people, but must ensure that the people are subjects, owners, and primary beneficiaries of every development policy.

Asta Cita and the Meaning of Contemporary Struggles

In this context, the Asta Cita of President Prabowo Subianto's government holds strategic relevance.

The eight missions of Asta Cita include strengthening the ideology of Pancasila and democracy, defense and food and energy independence, improving the quality of human resources, industrialization, rural development, governance reform, and development that considers the environment and culture. These agendas are part of efforts to realize Indonesia Gold 2045.

However, the success of Asta Cita cannot be measured merely by the number of programs or the size of the budget.

A more important measure is to what extent these policies create justice, improve welfare, strengthen national capacity, and build sustainable national resilience.

The thoughts of Mohammad Hatta are relevant for understanding this. Independence, for Hatta, must have social and economic significance for the people.

Political sovereignty is incomplete without welfare and fair opportunities. Therefore, development must truly be felt by the people, especially those vulnerable to economic pressures and environmental changes.

At least there are five heroic traits reflected in five attitudes.

First, courage and integrity. Past heroes bravely faced threats for the sake of the nation.

Today, that courage must manifest in fighting corruption, rejecting the abuse of power, ensuring fair law enforcement, and policies favoring public interests.

Integrity is a critical asset in building public trust in the state.

Second, sacrifice and commitment to the people. Food and energy independence means not only increasing production but also protecting farmers, fishermen, workers, small business operators, and vulnerable groups.

Development programs, including Free Nutritious Meals, education, and rural economic empowerment, must be implemented transparently, targeted, and measurable.

Amartya Sen's ideas in “Development as Freedom” reinforce this view. Sen explains that development is the process of expanding human freedoms and capabilities to lead valuable lives.

Economic growth alone is insufficient if the community still faces poverty, limited education, and poor health services.

Thus, the welfare of the people must be the primary measure of development success.

Third, unity and mutual cooperation. Indonesia's independence was fought for by various groups in society.

This same spirit needs to be realized through cooperation among the government, TNI, police, universities, the business world, civil society, and local communities.

Disaster management, environmental protection, food resilience, and digital literacy require cross-sector collaboration.