Unity without abandoning critical thinking
Speaking in an official video message from the House of Representatives leadership, Dasco described the willingness of the 1928 generation to transcend group interests as a form of political courage needed again today.
"We cannot control all the upheavals of the world; what we can define is Indonesia's character in facing them. Brave without being reckless, open without being submissive, united without losing critical reasoning," he said.
Dasco, who also chairs the Gerindra Party, appealed to all parts of the nation, particularly young people, to sustain that approach. He said the young people behind the 1928 pledge came from different regions, ethnic groups and organizations but found common ground without agreeing on every issue.
"They did not agree on everything, but they all agreed on something much more important: one homeland, one nation, and one unifying language, Indonesia," he said. In his account, they recognized that building the nation's future required collective effort and did not wait for easier circumstances before coming together.
He also called for leaving children and grandchildren a country that upholds its constitution, treats its people fairly, safeguards its sovereignty and faces the future with confidence. Describing young people as Indonesia's heartbeat, he presented unity as an enduring commitment to the country's continued existence and prosperity.
The commemoration and its origins
For this year's observance, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, known as Kemenpora, chose the theme "Patriotik, Gigih, Berempati: Pemuda untuk Indonesia" ("Patriotic, Persistent, Empathetic: Youth for Indonesia"), according to detikcom. An in-person commemorative ceremony began at 8 a.m. local time on Wednesday, October 28.
The pledge emerged from the Second Youth Congress, which met on October 27-28, 1928, in Batavia, now Jakarta. An earlier youth congress in 1926 had ended without formal decisions. The second congress used three venues: the Katholieke Jongenlingen Bond building, the Oost Java Bioscoop and the Indonesische Clubgebouw at Jalan Kramat Raya No. 106.
According to Wikipedia's Youth Pledge entry, the closing session on October 28 featured the first hearing of "Indonesia Raya," the future national anthem composed by Wage Rudolf Supratman. It was played on violin, with the lyrics slightly altered to avoid provoking the Dutch colonial authorities.
October 28 later became a national observance that is not a public holiday under Presidential Decree No. 316 of 1959, dated December 16, 1959.
Haze response and legislative priorities
The same speech also addressed cross-border haze caused by forest and land fires, ANTARA News reported. Dasco said Indonesia took note of concerns from Malaysia and Singapore and argued that criticism should receive a response through work that can be tested, rather than offense. He put protection of affected residents first and urged ASEAN parliaments to cooperate more closely outside periods of crisis as well.
On the legislative agenda, Dasco said the House and the government had passed three laws in the First Session of the 2026-2027 legislative year: the Agrarian Reform Regulation Law, the Labor Protection Law and the One Data Indonesia Law.
He said four bills were scheduled for consideration in the Second Session: Cybersecurity and Resilience, Indigenous Peoples, Population Administration, and Asset Forfeiture.
