Leaders, figures, great entrepreneurs, public servants and scientists should be able to help this nation become the best, otherwise our nation cannot advance.

Jakarta (Indonesia Windows) - Indonesia with a population of more than 270 million people certainly needs best scholars, leaders, and entrepreneurs, the country’s former vice president H. M. Jusuf Kalla, concurrently chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Paramadina Waqf Foundation, has said.

"Because it is only leaders, figures, great entrepreneurs, public servants and scientists that can help this nation become the best, otherwise our nation cannot advance," Kalla said in his remarks at the 39th graduation of Indonesia’s private Paramadina University at Smesco Building, here, Saturday (Oct. 28).

"Therefore, we want an advanced nation to be supported by the ability to create something, to do that we need science and technology. So what it means is that you finish school with the mind, the basis, the intention of getting science and technology in order to build and advance this nation," he said.

Kalla, the 10th and 12th vice president and popularly called as JK, also expressed his hope, by saying "entrepreneurship is one of the important things, what we are missing in Indonesia is the lack of great and advanced entrepreneurs. Whether it is a beginner entrepreneur, a medium-sized entrepreneur or a large entrepreneur, it is our hope. We follow the example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that from the beginning, he became an entrepreneur and advanced trader".

According him, Indonesia is experiencing a very important time, and therefore without technological advances, without intelligence achieved from the university, we would be left behind by other countries.

In the meantime, Rector of the Paramadina University Prof. Didik J. Rachbini M.Sc., Ph.D, said that the graduation ceremony coincided with the Youth Pledge Day.

"The Youth Pledge Day is a major milestone in the history of Indonesia's independence movement. The meaning of the Youth Pledge emphasizes appreciating Indonesia's struggle, loving Indonesia with all our hearts. The role of the graduates is highly expected in advancing Indonesia, especially strengthening civil society in the future," he said.

In this 39th graduation, the Paramadina University graduated 301 undergraduates and 190 masters.

Mulhadi HM, SH, MH, in his remarks representing the Head of the Higher Education Service Institution conveyed his message to the graduates.

"Your success in obtaining Bachelor and Master degrees at the Paramadina University will be an important capital to produce competent human resources and contribute to the progress of the nation. However, it is not enough to optimally utilize the Demographic Bonus. As scholars, you must be excellent and competitive scholars," Mulhadi said.

He touched on an important aspect that must be prepared by graduates. "You must prepare yourself with good provisions in terms of knowledge, skills, social competencies needed in the job market in the coming era. Thus the demographic bonus would bring blessings to the life of the nation, not become a deficit for the nation," he said.

"As scholars you must also equip yourselves with good knowledge and ethics to prevent and fight corruption. In the scope of society that is still vulnerable to corruption, bachelors and masters are expected to be agents of change and become role models for the people," he concluded.

Among the 1.600 guests were the families of graduates including Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board Bahlil Lahadalia and Chairman of the Democrats Party Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and his wife.

Reporting by Indonesia Window