Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Michael Darmawan Cahyadi Josua, a newly appointed junior officer of the Indonesian National Police (INP), stood before President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the state palace.

Joining representatives of Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, and Hinduism, Michael represented Confucianism during the Prasetya Perwira ceremony on Tuesday (16/07/2024).

Michael is the first and only Confucian INP junior officer to be inaugurated by President Jokowi, a moment that fills him with pride. 

"I am incredibly proud to stand before President Jokowi and represent my fellow junior officers in such a historic moment," he said.

Michael, from a Chinese-Indonesian family, inherited Confucianism from his ancestors. One of his grandfathers was a Confucian priest. Despite his heritage, Michael feels entirely Indonesian.

 "I might be the fourth or fifth generation, so it doesn’t show much. People often think I’m Javanese," he said, smiling.

Living in a diverse community in Depok, West Java, Michael’s family integrates well with various cultural backgrounds. He brought his parents and childhood friend, Muhammad Rayhan Denel, to the ceremony. Rayhan shared, "Michael and I went to school together. His diligence helped him get into the police academy."

"The INP provides equal opportunities for all Indonesians to join without discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, race, or class," explained the INP Chief Assistant of Human Resources A Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo.

(mg/ta/pr/nm)